Janet Melanie Ailsa Mills MBE (1 April 1894 – 1 July 1986), also known by her writing pseudonym H. K. Challoner, was an English theosophist, healer, writer and clerk.
Janet Melanie Ailsa Mills MBE | |
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| Born | 1 April 1894 Eltham, Kent, England |
| Died | 1 July 1986 (aged 92) |
| Other name | H. K. Challoner |
| Occupations | Theosophist, healer, writer and clerk |
| Notable work | Lords of the Earth (1940) The Wheel of Rebirth: An Autobiography of Many Lifetimes (1976) |
| Partner | R. Allatini |
Biography
editMills was born on 1 April 1894 in Eltham, Kent, England.[1] She was educated in Switzerland and became a clerical worker.[2]
During World War I, Mills worked as a "Lady Clerk" in the Military Operations Directorate of the War Office, and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1919 New Year Honours (MBE).[3][4]
Mills was a theosophist and wrote books on the occult, published as J. M. A. Mills or under her pseudonym H. K. Challoner.[5][6] Her novel Lords of the Earth (1940) described ancient knowledge, immortality and life on the island of Atlantis.[7]
Mills' work The Wheel of Rebirth: An Autobiography of Many Lifetimes (1976) recounted her previous lives in Atlantis, England, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Italy and Persia. It was forwarded by the occultist Cyril Scott.[8] Also in 1976, Mills' published The Path of Healing about healing through faith with the Theosophical Publishing House.[9]
After fellow theosophist Rose Allatini separated from her husband Cyril Scott, Mills became Allatini's closest friend.[10] They lived together as companions.[6]
Mills died on 1 July 1986, aged 92.[1]
Publications
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 4 "Summary Bibliography: J. M. A. Mills". The Internet Speculative Fiction Database (ISFD). Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ↑ Reilly, Catherine W. (1986). English Poetry of the Second World War: A Biobibliography. G.K. Hall. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-8161-8819-2.
- ↑ The London Gazette. Thomas Newcomb. 1919. p. 470.
- ↑ "MRS JANET MELANIE AILSA MILLS MBE, War Office". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ↑ Carty, T. J. (3 December 2015). A Dictionary of Literary Pseudonyms in the English Language. Routledge. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-135-95578-6.
- 1 2 Binford, Harry. "The Multiple Masters of Cyril Scott". Theosophical Society in America. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ↑ Clute, John. "SFE: Mills, J M A". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (SFE). Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- 1 2 Kear, Lynn (22 July 1996). Reincarnation: A Selected Annotated Bibliography. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-313-29597-3.
- 1 2 Religious Book Review. Religious Book Review Press. 1976. p. 74.
- ↑ De'Ath, Leslie; Foreman, Lewis; Scott, Desmond (2018). The Cyril Scott Companion: Unity in Diversity. Boydell & Brewer. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-78327-286-0.
- ↑ Benor, Daniel J. (2001). Spiritual Healing: Scientific Validation of a Healing Revolution. Vision Publications. p. 550. ISBN 978-1-886785-11-3.