Edward Maitland

Edward Maitland ( born October 27, 1824 in Ipswich, England; † October 2, 1897 in Tonbridge, England) was an English author and Theosophist.

Life and work

Maitland studied at Gonville and Caius College, from which he graduated in 1847 with a Bachelor of Arts in Cambridge. Against the wishes of his father to pursue a clerical career, he went to Mexico in 1848 and 1849 in the USA, where he was one of the Forty- Niners during the California gold rush. Later he moved to Australia where he married on May 3, 1855 Esther Charlotte Bradley ( 1834-1856 ). From the marriage emerged son Charles. As a result of his marriage, which meant a social appreciation, he was still appointed in May 1855 Commissioner of crown lands of Goulburn ( in Canberra) and was president of the Goulburn School of Art

After his return to England in 1858, he began to press a writer and published from 1867 a series of books. His life was transformed, spiritualism and humanity moved into the center, interest in spiritualism was also available. In the summer of 1873, Anna Kingsford was reading one of his works, then began a correspondence with Maitland led to a first meeting between the two in February 1874. It began a friendship that lasted until the death of King 1888 Fords.

Together, they joined in September 1882 London Lodge and thus the Theosophical Society. On January 7, 1883, he was elected Vice - President of the London Lodge, while Kingsford took over the presidency. As Kingsford was voted on April 6, 1884 as President, also Maitland lost his vice-president posts. Then they founded on May 9, 1884, the Hermetic Society, although this was close to theosophy, but was independent of the Theosophical Society. After King Ford's death in 1888, he founded in 1891 the Esoteric Christian Union.

Works (selection)

• By and by, an historical romance of the future. Gregg Press, Boston 1977, ISBN 0839823797th (Reprint of 1873)
• England and Islam. Kessinger, Whitefish 2003, ISBN 0766126919th (Reprint of 1877)
• The Life of Anna Kingsford Part 1 Kessinger, Whitefish undated, ISBN 076612892X. (Reprint of 1896)
• The Life of Anna Kingsford Part 2 Kessinger, Whitefish undated, ISBN 0,766,131,726th (Reprint of 1913)
• The Story of the New Gospel of Interpretation. Adamant Media, Boston 2005, ISBN 1402168039th (Reprint of 1893)