The College of Psychic Studies (founded in 1884 as the London Spiritualist Alliance) is a non-profit organisation based in South Kensington

South Kensington

South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....

, London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. They are dedicated to the study of spiritual phenomenon.

History

Gerald Balfour, the second Earl of Balfour

Earl of Balfour

Earl of Balfour is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1922 for the prominent Conservative politician Arthur Balfour. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905 and Foreign Secretary from 1916 to 1919...

, founded the college in 1884. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a former president of the college through the 1920s.

In the 1960's, after a revival in spiritualism, the College associated itself with the Society for Psychical Research

Society for Psychical Research

The Society for Psychical Research is a non-profit organisation in the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is to understand "events and abilities commonly described as psychic or paranormal by promoting and supporting important research in this area" and to "examine allegedly paranormal phenomena...

, collecting thousands of case files.

By 1968 Paul Beard

Paul Beard

Paul Beard was an author and was the president of the College of Psychic Studies. Beard was based in London, England for sixteen years.The organization was devoted to finding in spiritualism evidence of life after death...

 was the president of the college for 16 years. The college currently offers twelves courses on psychic abilities. Tony Stockwell

Tony Stockwell

Tony Stockwell is a British author, television personality and psychic medium. He was born in Walthamstow, East London.-Career:Stockwell was born on London's East End. His career as a medium began at the age of 16 when he was invited to a local Spiritualist church by a friend to see another medium...

is a member of the college.