Anna Kingsford

Anna Bonus Kingsford ( born Annie Bonus ) ( born September 16, 1846 in Maryland Point, Stratford, Essex (now in London ), England; † February 22, 1888 in London) was an English doctor, women's rights activist, author and Theosophist.

Life and work

Kingsford children of John Bonus (1795-1865) and Elizabeth Ann Schroder (1805-1888) was born on September 16, 1846, the youngest of 12 (9? ) Born in Maryland Point. The village belonged to the county of Essex and is now part of the London City district London Borough of Newham. The father was a merchant and shipping agent (similar to a ship owner ), the family wealthy.

As early as 1859, at the age of 13, she published her first book, Beatrice, a Tale of the Early Christians, which a number of other followed. On December 31, 1867 she married her cousin Algernon Godfrey Kingsford ( 1845-1913 ), a priest of the Anglican Church. Before marriage she put this condition, we can continue to pursue their own interests, to which her ​​husband came in and she later worked in practice. The marriage produced a daughter, Eadith Bonus Kingsford was bold (* September 24, 1868 ).

From 1868 she became involved increasingly for animal welfare and spoke out against animal testing (then vivisection ) from. As a result of this conviction, they fed a vegetarian since 1870. Likewise, she sat down in 1868 for women's rights, particularly the right to own property, the right to vote and the right to education. To this end, they demanded equal education for boys and girls, and the training and acceptance of women as doctors. On these issues she has written several books.

In 1873 she began to study medicine and even philosophy in England. Just like Lizzy Lind af Hageby she took the study medicine especially, therefore, to learn more about the vivisection and better able to argue against it. Since then women, however, a graduation was not in England but only the study itself, allows, she moved in 1874 to Paris, where she continued the study and on 22 July 1880, the Doctor of Medicine ( MD Medical Doctor) graduated. So it was, after Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the second woman in England with a degree in medicine. Your dissertation on the topic of vegetarianism appeared in 1881 in book form under the title The perfect way in diet. Later, she led her own medical practice in London.

In September 1882, she joined the London Lodge of the Theosophical Society, and thus was chosen and already on January 7, 1883 as President of the London Lodge. After lengthy disputes with Alfred Percy Sinnett about the objective of the London Lodge, they had to give up on 6 April 1884, the presidency of Gerard B. Finch. Then she and Edward Maitland (1824-1897) on May 9, 1884, the Hermetic Society, although this was close to theosophy, but was independent of the Theosophical Society. Her work influenced Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Plagued by poor health and her life from asthma attacks, she retired in November 1886 pneumonia. Stays on the Riviera and in Italy brought no improvement. At the age of 41 years, she died on 22 February 1888 in London of tuberculosis.

Works (selection)

  • Clothed with the sun. Kessinger, Whitefish undated, ISBN 0-7661-0735-3 ( reprint of 1889)
  • Dreams and dream stories. Kessinger, Whitefish undated, ISBN 1-4191-1687-8 ( reprint of 1888)
  • Health, beauty, and the toilet, Letters to ladies from a lady doctor. Kessinger, Whitefish undated, ISBN 1-4179-1232-4 ( reprint of 1886)
  • The perfect way or the Finding of Christ. Kessinger, Whitefish o.J. ISBN 1-56459-254-5 (Reprint of 1882)
  • The perfect way in diet, a Treatise Advocating a return to the natural and ancient food of our Race. Kessinger, Whitefish undated, ISBN 1-56459-947-7 (Reprint of 1906)
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