Red Cactus The Life of Anna Kingsford

2006·9.9 MB·English

by  Alan Pert

RED CACTUS
THE LIFE OF
ANNA KINGSFORD
Alan Pert
Books& Writers
Copyright©AlanPert.
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bookmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,or
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permission.
NationalLibraryofAustraliaCIP:
Pert,Alan.
Redcactus:thelifeofAnnaKingsford.
Bibliography.
Includesindex.
ISBN9781740184052.
1.Kingsford,AnnaBonus,1846-1888. 2.Theosophists-
GreatBritain-Biography. 3.Womenphysicians-Great
Britain-Biography. I.Title.
299.934092
FirstpublishedinAustraliain2006
Reprinted2007
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P.O.BoxW76,WatsonsBayNSW2030
www.wildandwoolley.com.au
Bookdesign:PatWoolley
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RonaldErnestPert(1916-1994)

Contents
ChronologyoftheLifeofAnnaKingsford vii
Introduction 1
1 EarlyYears 5
2 AYoungWoman 17
3 Marriage 23
4 Anna'sOwnPaper 35
5 AnnaatHome 43
6 MedicalStudies 53
7 MysticalIlluminations 67
8 NewFriendsandMedical Graduation 75
9 BackinEngland 81
10 APublicFigure 91
11 PresidentofBritishTheosophy 107
12 ControversyinTheosophy 115
13 TheHermeticSociety 127
14 MultifariousActivities 135
15 ABusyLifeTakesItsToll 145
16 Dyingisaveryslowprocess 159
17 AfterAnna 177
18 Maitland'sBiographyofAnnainQuestion 187
Appendix1:SomefeaturesofAnna'scharacterasrevealed
byherhoroscope 209
Appendix2:SomefeaturesofMaitland'shoroscope 213
Appendix3:ThefateofEadithKingsford 215
Acknowledgements 217
Bibliography 219
Index 7.7.9
V

Chronology
of the Life of Anna Kingsford
1846 Annaisbornon 16SeptemberatStratford,Essex,England.
HermaidennamewasAnnieBonus;latershechoseAnnafor
herfirstname.
1851 TheBonusfamilyarelivingatBlackheath.
1863 PublicationofherfirstbookBeatrice, aTaleoftheEarly
Christians.
1863-64 AnnaattendsfinishingschoolatBrighton,
1864 FamilymovestoStLeonardsonSea,Sussex.
1865 Anna'sfatherJohnBonusdies.
1866 HerpoemsRiver-Reedsarepublished.
1867 Annaactiveforwomen'srights. MarriesAlgernonKingsford
atStLeonardsonSea,31 December.
1868 AlgernonKingsfordstudiesattheLichfieldTheological
College,Staffordshire.BirthofAnna'sdaughterEadith24
SeptemberatStLeonards.Annawritesstoriesandalong
pamphletonwomen'ssuffrage.
vii
viii CHRONOLOGYOFTHELIFEOFANNAKINGSFORD
1869 AlgernonbecamescurateatAtcham,Shropshire.
1870 AnnaisbaptisedintheRomanCatholicChurchtoavoidthe
dutiesofaclergyman'swife.
1872 AnnaacquirestheLady's OwnPaperinLondoninOctober.
1873 AnnameetsFlorenceFenwickMiller,thenEdwardMaitland.
AlgernonbecomesarectoratPontesbury,Shropshire.Anna
beginstostudymedicineinLondon.
1874 Commencestouse'Anna'asherfirstname.Beginsher
medicalcourseattheEcoledeMedecine,ParisinApril.
1875 Anna'sstoriesRosamundathePrincessarepublished.
TheosophySocietyfoundedinAmericabyHelenaBlavatsky
andHenryOlcott.
1877 Annaactiveagainstvivisection. Shereceivesilluminative
dreamswhichcontinuefortenyears. Maitlandvisitsmediums,
writesEnglandandIslamand TheSoulandHowItFoundMe.
Annamakeshimwithdrawthelatterfromcirculation.
1878 BritishTheosophicalSocietyformed.
1879 Anna'sfriendLadyCaithnesssettlesinParis.
1880 Annagraduatesasadoctorofmedicine. Maitlandmakes
manyvisitstomediumsandseances.
1881 AnnaandMaitlandstudyHermeticworksattheBritish
Museum.Anna'sthesis ThePerfect WayinDietispublished.
Theydeliver'ThePerfectWay'lecturesinLondon.
1882 ThePerfect Way, ortheFindingofChristispublished.
AlgernonKingsfordbecomesvicarofAtcham.
1883 AnnaisappointedpresidentoftheBritishTheosophical
Society. She lecturesforvegetarianismandagainstvivisection
inSwitzerlandandlaterinScotland.DisagreementwithA.P.
SinnettoverrelianceontheEasternmastersinhisEsoteric
BuddhismandthedirectionoftheTheosophicalSociety.