On November 19, 1929, the body of Netta Fornario was found south of Loch Staonaig on the Island of Iona, Scotland. She was nude except for a black cloak, clutching a dagger in her hand, and lying in a natural pose as if asleep. Beneath her, carved into the turf, was the symbol of a cross. According to the coroner, there were no visible injuries on her body. Her cause of death was attributed to exposure, yet the eerie tableau in which she was discovered suggests something far stranger—an enigma that endurs nearly a century later.
The Events on Iona
Netta arrived on the Island of Iona in the autumn of 1929, bringing with her enough clothes, furniture, and personal belongings “to furnish a small house.” She secured lodging with the McRae family, telling her housekeeper that she would be gone indefinitely as she had “a terrible case of healing” to tend to. She was described as eccentric, dressing in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement, with much of her clothing handmade. Deeply interested in the island’s ancient ruins and Mesolithic sites, Netta spent long hours exploring Iona’s landscape.
As she grew more familiar with Mrs. McRae, she made several unusual confessions. Most unsettling was her claim that she frequently entered deep trances, sometimes lasting an entire week. She warned that if she was found in such a state, no doctor should be summoned, as it was “perfectly normal.” Mrs. McRae also noted Netta’s habit of wearing a significant amount of silver jewelry, which often turned black. When asked about it, Netta simply replied, “That always happens to me.”
Things took a disturbing turn on Sunday, November 17, 1929. Netta began frantically packing her bags, preparing to leave the island. When Mrs. McRae inquired about her distress, Netta claimed she was under “telepathic attack” by several individuals. She also mentioned a “rudderless boat” traveling across the sky, which she believed to be an omen. Additionally, she was receiving ominous messages from beyond the veil.
Mrs. McRae, unaccustomed to such claims, informed Netta that the ferry did not operate on Sundays. Nevertheless, Netta made her way to the landing and waited. Several hours later, she returned in a markedly subdued mood. Whatever had troubled her remained unresolved, but in Mrs. McRae’s chilling words, she seemed “resigned” to it. Netta then announced she was going for one of her walks. It was the last time she was seen alive.
Sithean Mor, where Netta’s body was found
When she failed to appear for breakfast the next morning, no immediate concern was raised, as she often kept to herself. However, later that day, her room was found empty, her bed unslept in, and her belongings neatly in place. It wasn’t until the afternoon of November 19 that her body was discovered lying in a slight depression in the moor between Malach and Loch Staonaig, near what was said to be a faery mound.
Some reports mention flashing blue lights seen over the area on the night of the 18th. Another unverified account describes a “black-cloaked” man spotted nearby. Additionally, contrary to the coroner’s report, some witnesses claimed Netta’s feet were scratched and bloodied, suggesting she had fled barefoot over the rough terrain.
There was no police investigation, nor was any advanced pathology performed beyond the limited expertise of the island authorities. A contemporary news source reported that letters of “strange character” were found in her room and turned over to the authorities, though their contents were never revealed. Netta left behind a significant estate, worth approximately £25,000 in today’s currency. Her family declined to claim her body, and it was the island’s residents who pooled their money to give her a modest burial, where she remains to this day.
Who Was Netta Fornario?
To understand who—or what—killed her, one must first attempt to understand who Netta Fornario was. This is no simple task, as little trace of her life remains, and what does exist raises more questions than answers.
A 1911 census lists Nora Emily Fornario as born in 1897 to an English mother and an Italian father. Her mother died when she was just a year old, after which her father sent her to live with her maternal grandfather, a prosperous tea importer. She was educated in private girls’ schools before studying abroad in Italy, taking advantage of her dual citizenship.
In 1922, she returned to England, where she became a student of Freemasonry and the enigmatic occult philosopher Dr. Theodore Moriarty. Her studies likely began at his unsanctioned Co-Masonic lodge in Hammersmith, West London, before continuing within his inner circle in Bishop’s Stortford. After Moriarty’s death in 1923, she became involved with Alpha et Omega, one of the four splinter groups that emerged from the schism of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
During this period, she formed a close association with another of Moriarty’s students, Dion Fortune. It is through Fortune’s writings that we find the most significant glimpses into Netta’s life.
It is worth pausing here, as the history of Western Hermetic occultism in the early twentieth century is convoluted. Moriarty was a Freemason who practiced esoteric and ceremonial magic in the tradition of the Theosophy movement, which—oversimplified—is a synthesis of Eastern and Western mysticism. Dion Fortune, born Violet Firth, was a writer and Moriarty’s protégé, who attempted unsuccessfully to continue his teachings after his death. Both Netta and Dion became involved with Alpha et Omega (AO), an organization founded by Golden Dawn leader Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. At the time, the temple was led by Mathers’ widow, Moina Mathers.
Fortune was expelled from AO in 1926, but by then she had already founded her own group, The Fraternity of the Inner Light. Netta’s affiliations after this point remain unclear, but given her shared background and interests with Fortune, it is reasonable to assume they remained in contact.
Violet Firth, aka Dion Fortune
While the beliefs and philosophies of these groups are too complex to explore fully here, one relevant aspect is the internal conflicts that often arose among practitioners. The early 20th century saw intense rivalries between competing esoteric schools, especially in the wake of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn’s dissolution. These included factions stemming from the Golden Dawn’s schism, such as the Alpha et Omega and other splinter groups. Notably, the rivalry between Dion Fortune and Moina Mathers—two influential figures from this period—was marked by deep philosophical and personal tensions, which may hold significance in Netta Fornario’s fate. Adding to the mystery, many modern researchers have mistakenly identified photographs of Moina Mathers as images of Netta Fornario, suggesting an even stronger connection between the two women and the complex web of intrigue that surrounds Fornario’s life and death.
Moina Mathers, photo is often incorrectly attributed as Netta Fornario.
Jason Roberts is a Seattle-based author noted for his acclaimed western horror series The Dead Wind Trilogy as well as other works of cosmic horror infused with historical fiction. His web-based series, Dark Distractions examines paranormal mysteries, unexplained phenomena, and all things strange.
