Edmund Buczynski (1947-1989) met Lady Gwen Thompson leader of the New England Covens of Traditionalist Witches (NECTW) and High Priestess of a Traditionalist coven in Connecticut. Lady Gwen initiated Eddie and he eventually became High Priest of her coven. Ed gave dates for his initiations in the late 1960s with his taking the role of High Priest in 1970. There are inconsistencies with his stated dates and some controversy as to what degree he received from Thompson prior to his departure.

Following his expulsion from Thompson’s North Haven coven, around 1972, he brought her rituals to New York and, working with Herman Slater (1938-1992), and Leo Martello (1930-2000), gradually rewrote some of the rituals he received from Lady Gwen in the forms used by the NYCWTW and its descendants. All three were among the first to publicly defend gay rights within the Pagan movement, long before the rise of the Gay Rights movement.

In 1972, Eddie founded his first witchcraft lineage NY Welsh Tradition, which was called the “New York Coven of Welsh Traditionalist Witches” with Ed as High Priest, Lady Vivienne (Kay Flagg) as High Priestess) and Seana (later called Siobhan, Judith McNally) as the coven Maiden.

(This Craft Tradition is alternative called New York Welsh Traditionalist Gwyddonaid (N.Y.W.T.G.), New York Welsh, Brooklyn Welsh, and simply the Welsh Tradition. The photo on this page is Eddie, Lady Vivienne, and Siobhan (he name I knew her by) along with an unidentified coven member.)