Lindsay, James Ludovic

(1847-1913). 26th Earl of Crawford and 9th Earl of Balcarres. In The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, (#15 chron., p. 44; #8 Barker, p. 26), the Master Koot Hoomi speaks very highly of Lindsay, referring to him under the name of Crawford. In The Readers Guide to the Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, the editors note that Crawford was interested in “occultism” and had been in touch with Alfred P. Sinnett and Helena P. Blavatsky.

Lindsay was born at St. Germain-en-Laye, July 28, 1847. Noted as an astronomer, collector and bibliophile, he was descended from one of the oldest British families. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. He held a commission in the Grenadier Guards, but resigned it when he was elected Member of Parliament for Wigan. Astronomy was a great interest for him and he organized an observing station at Cadiz, in 1870, to observe an eclipse of the sun. In 1872 he had erected an observatory at Dunecht, near Aberdeen, which he equipped with the latest telescopes. He was elected President of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1878 and 1879.

He died in London January 31, 1913.

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