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[[File:Violet Tweedale in chair.jpg|right|220p|thumb|Violet Tweedale]]
'''Violet Tweedale''', née Chambers (1862 – 19 December 1936), was a Scottish author and poet and a [[Spiritualism|Spiritualist]]. Claiming to be psychic from a young age, she became involved in Spiritualism and [[Theosophy]], and was a close associate of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Helena Blavatsky]]. Tweedale became also a member of the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]].

== Personal life ==

Violet Chambers was born in 1862 in Scotland to publisher Robert Chambers, editor of "Chambers's Journal," and his wife.<ref>Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1931.</ref> On June 8, 1891 at St. Peter's Church in Eaton Square, Belgravia, London, she married Clarens (or Clarence) Tweedale.<ref>Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1931.</ref> He was a British subject born in  Florence, Italy, the son of an Indian army captain, and had served as a Lieutenant in the Royal Perth Rifles.<ref>1881 England Census.</ref> They were independently wealthy. She died at the Villa Languard, Torquay, Devon on December 10, 1936.<ref>England & Wales, National Probate Calendar, 1858-1966.</ref> Clarens outlived her, dying in Devon at August 25, 1950.

''Every Woman's Encyclopedia'' described her in this way:
<blockquote>
Exceedingly versatile, Mrs. Tweedale has been described as "a woman of all works." She can paint a landscape and cook a dinner; she can write a book and make a shirt; she can etch a sporting scene and embroider the finest, designs; she is a. brilliant pianist and has the reputation of being one of the best political speakers of the day. "I never know an idle moment, and I never know an unhappy one until by some misadventure I am forced to sit with idle hands," is a remark she has often been heard to make.<ref>''Every Woman's Encyclopedia'' reprinted in [http://chestofbooks.com/food/household/Woman-Encyclopaedia-2/Mrs-Violet-Tweedale.html Chest of Books website].</ref>
</blockquote>

== Theosophical Society involvement ==
[[File:Violet Tweedale.jpg|180px|thumb|Violet Tweedale]]
Mrs. Tweedale was admitted to the Theosophical Society on June 9, 1893 in the [[London Lodge]], although her permanent address at that time in Balquholly, Turriff, Scotland.<ref>Theosophical Society General Membership Register, 1875-1942 at [http://tsmembers.org/ http://tsmembers.org/]. See book 1, entry 9702 (website file: 1D/6).</ref>

Around 1888–1889 in London, when talking to H. P. Blavatsky, she saw the astral form of either an [[Adept]] or a [[chela]]. She wrote:

<blockquote>
On another occasion when I was alone with Madame Blavatsky, she suddenly broke off our conversation by lapsing into another language, which I supposed to be Hindustani. She appeared to be addressing some one else, and on looking over my shoulder I saw we were no longer alone. A man stood in the middle of the room. I was sure he had not entered by the door, window, or chimney, and as I looked at him in some astonishment, he salaamed to Madame Blavatsky and replied to her in the same language in which she had addressed him.
 
I rose at once to leave her, and as I bade her good-by she whispered to me, "Do not mention this." The man did not seem aware of my presence; he took no notice of me as I left the room. He was dark in color and very sad looking, and his dress was a long, black cloak and a soft black hat, which he did not remove, pulled well over his eyes. I found out that evening that none of the general staff were aware of his arrival, and I saw him no more.<ref>Violet Tweedale, ''Ghosts I Have Seen and Other Psychic Experiences'' (New York:Frederick A. Stokes, 1919), 51, 56–61.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Writings ==

As a teenager Violet assisted her father with his literary journal. She became  a prolific writer of short stories, published as anthologies, and novels, often with a romantic or supernatural theme. In addition, she wrote articles for journals such as [[Alfred  Percy Sinnett|A. P. Sinnett's]] ''Broadviews''. The [[Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals]] lists [http://www.austheos.org.au/cgi-bin/ui-csvsearch.pl?search=Violet+Tweedale&method=all 12 articles by or about Mrs. Tweedale]].

Mrs. Tweedale wrote over 30 books on spiritual subjects. '''''The Cosmic Christ''''' (1930) influenced [[Alice Bailey]]. Tweedale's own personal psychic experiences were documented in ''Ghosts I have Seen'', ''Phantoms of The Dawn'' and ''Mellow Sheaves'' in which she mentions teachings she learned from Mme. Blavatsky.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky as seen by Violet Tweedale (Theosophy: modern, history and archives) at http://theosophy.katinkahesselink.net/canadian/Vol-23-1-C-Theosophist.htm</ref>
These are some of her popular titles:

* '''''And They Two'''''. 1889. This was her first novel.
* '''''The Beautiful Mrs. Davenant: A Novel of Love and Mystery'''''.
* '''''The Passing Storm'''''.
* '''''The Cosmic Christ'''''. London: Rider & Co., 1930. Available at [http://www.iapsop.com/ssoc/1930__tweedale___cosmic_christ.pdf IAPSOP website]. This book was published in several languages.
* '''''Ghosts I Have Seen'''''. This book was published in several languages.
* '''''Ghosts I Have Seen and Other Psychic Experiences'''''. Available at [http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=39769 Project Gutenberg].
* '''''The Kingdom of Mammon'''''.
* '''''An Empty Heritage'''''.
* '''''The Quenchless Flame'''''. 
* '''''Found Dead and Other True Ghost Stories'''''.
* '''''Phantoms of the Dawn'''''.
* '''''Love and War'''''.
* '''''Wingate's Wife'''''.
* '''''An Unholy Alliance'''''. 
* '''''The House of the Other World'''''. 
* '''''The Heart of a Woman'''''.
* '''''Austin's career'''''.
* '''''The Green Lady'''''.
* '''''Mellow Sheaves'''''.
* '''''The Mammonist'''''. 
* '''''The School of Virtue'''''. 
* '''''The Passing Storm'''''. 
* '''''A Reaper of the Whirlwind'''''.
* '''''The Veiled Woman'''''. 
* '''''The Quenchless Flame'''''. 
* '''''Her Grace's Secret'''''.
* '''''What Shall It Profit a Man?'''''.
* '''''Unsolved Mysteries'''''.
* '''''The Honeycomb of Life'''''.
* '''''The Legends of Life'''''. 
* '''''The Sweets of Office'''''.
* '''''An Empty Heritage'''''. 
* '''''Mrs. Barrington's Atonement'''''.
* '''''The Portals of Love'''''.
* '''''Lord Eversleigh's Sins'''''.

== Online resources ==
* [http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/mastersencounterswith.htm# A Casebook of Encounters with the Theosophical Mahatmas] Case 57, compiled and edited by Daniel H. Caldwell
* [http://theosophy.katinkahesselink.net/canadian/Vol-23-1-C-Theosophist.htm H. P. Blavatsky as seen by Violet Tweedale] published in ''The Canadian Theosophist''.
* [https://themitfordsociety.wordpress.com/tag/violet-tweedale/ The Mitford Society website]

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Associates of HPB|Tweedale, Violet]]
[[Category:Nationality Scottish|Tweedale, Violet]]
[[Category:Spiritualists|Tweedale, Violet]]
[[Category:Writers|Tweedale, Violet]]
[[Category:Fiction writers|Tweedale, Violet]]
[[Category:People who encountered Mahatmas|Tweedale, Violet]]
[[Category:People|Tweedale, Violet]]