Alfred Percy Sinnett

A.P. Sinnett (* 18 January 1840; † 26 June 1921) was an author and Theosophist.

Biography

Sinnett's father died while he was young, by 1851 Sinnett is listed as a "Scholar - London University", living with his widowed mother Jane whose occupation is listed as "Periodical Literature", and his older sister Sophia age 22 who is a teacher. Jane's sister Sarah age 48 is also a teacher. 1851 England Census

Sinnett married his wife Patience in 1870, probably in the London area. He is listed in the 1871 England Census as a Journalist, born in Middlesex, at age 31. He wife Patience is 27 and with them, is living her mother Clarissa Edenson a "Landowner".

By 1879, Sinnett had moved to India where he was "... the Editor of The Pioneer, the leading English Daily of India..."http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/mahatma/ml-ccpre.htm He relates in his book, The Occult World that: "...on the first occasion of my making Madame Blavatsky's acquaintance she became a guest at my home at Allahabad and remained there for six weeks..." The Occult World,p42

In 1880 Helena Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott visited the Sinnetts at their summer-home in Simla. The Mahatma letters, which generated the controversy that later helped lead to the split of the Theosophical Society, were mostly written to Sinnett or his wife, Patience.

By 1889, Sinnett was back in England, and asked Leadbeater to come back to England to tutor his son Percy and George Arundale. Leadbeater agreed and brought with him one of his pupils Jinarajadasa.

Sinnett was later President of the London Lodge of the Society.

By 1901, Sinnett is listed as an author. His son Percy is also listed as an author and born in India.1901 England Census

Notes

Works

The Occult World, London 1881
Esoteric Buddhism, London 1883
Karma: A Novel, London: Chapman & Hall. 1885.
The rationale of mesmerism, Boston 1892
Married by degrees; A play in 3 acts, London 1911
In the next world: Actual narratives of personal experiences by some who have passed on, Theosophical Publishing Society, London 1914
The spiritual Powers and the War, London 1915
Unseen Aspects of the War; Two articles by AP[ercy Sinnett, London 1916
The early days of theosophy in Europa, London 1922

Literature

Autobiography of Alfred Percy Sinnett, Theosophical History Centre Publications, London 1986 ISBN 0-948753-02-1

Letters

Helena P. Blavatsky: The letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett and other miscellaneous letters, London 1925
A. Trevor Barker. The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett London 1926 (ISBN 1-55700-086-7)

External links

1921 deaths | Theosophists | British non-fiction writers