Cardiff Blavatsky Archive

Theosophical Society, Cardiff Lodge, 206 Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 – 1DL

 

THE LIFE OF

HELENA PETROVNA BLAVATSKY   

 

H P Blavatsky

 

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The Hostility of the S.P.R.

and the Coulombs

 

 

The Society for Psychical Research was formerly the Dialectical Society

which had published a Report whichconcluded that the phenomena of Spiritualism was genuine, transcended all known laws and should be investigated scientifically

 

The S.P.R. began an investigation of the "Theosophical phenomena" in the summer of 1884. Olcott, Sinnett, Chatterji and H.P.B. were interviewed and over 100 witnesses to the phenomena of H.P.B. gave testimony.  A preliminary report of the S.P.R. issued in autumn of 1884 suggesting the prima facie genuineness of the phenomena but there were reservations due to the charges just made in India by the Coulombs against the good faith of H.P.B.

 

The S.P.R decided that a further investigation was necessary in India and appointed Mr. Richard Hodgson to conduct it.

 

The Coulombs first came in to HPB’s life in Cairo in 1871 after HPB was shipwrecked. Madame Coulomb as Mrs Emma Cutting assisted HPB in the abortive attempt to found a Society in Cairo. Mrs Cutting married Mr Coulomb who was French with both later turneing up destitute in India where they becames  employee and later members of the Society.

 

Madame Coulomb resented HPB’s success and fame and circulated slander about her. She also tried to extract money from other members of the Society and was expelled.

 

The Coulombs fabricated example of fraud against HPB and were the main protagonists in the preparation of the damaging report of the S.P.R.

 

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Cardiff Blavatsky Archive

Theosophical Society, Cardiff Lodge, 206 Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 – 1DL