Category Archives: James’ life apart from the Lost Continent of Mu

Recently a cousin found and sent a record he had found of James’ marriage to Mary Julia Stephens in December 1871.
Both were just 21 years old.

Where was James Churchward really when he wrote that he was on famine relief duty in India?

Here is some of what is documented:

Jan. 1872 – Mr. and Mrs. Churchward arrive from England on the P and O Dehli to Ceylon (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer and Fortnightly Summary of Intelligence, January 24, 1872.)

Oct. 1872 – Births: “At Parragalla Estate, Gampola, Oct. 9. Mary Julia, wife of J. Churchward. Esq., of a Son.” (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer and Fortnightly Summary of Intelligence, October 15, 1872.)

Jan. 1873 – “Sale of Coffee Land – James Churchward sells block of land in Maskeliya that he purchased six months earlier” (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer and Fortnightly Summary of Intelligence, January 16, 1873.)

Jan. 1873 – Mr. Churchward, Mrs Churchward and child depart Ceylon for London on the Vibila on January 23rd (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer and Fortnightly Summary of Intelligence, January 23, 1873.)

Feb. 1875 – Mr. J. Churchward departs Colombo on February 8th for Calcutta and intermediate ports on the B.I S.S. Africa (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, February 9, 1875.)

Mar. 1877 – Mr. and Ms. J. Churchward and European servant arrive in Ceylon from London on the SS El Dorado. (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer and Weekly Summary of Intelligence, March 1, 1877.)

Apr. 1877 – Mr. Churchward buys the estate Lillywatte from Mr. John Maitland. (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, April 18, 1877.)

May 1877 – Mr. Churchward of Lillywatte purchased 188 acres of forest land (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, May 8, 1877.)

Sept 1877 – Mr. Churchward attended Rakawana Planter’s Association meeting (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, September 12, 1877.)

1878 Tea Planter’s Guide listing James Churchward

Jan. 1878 – Mr. Churchward attended Rakawana Planter’s Association meeting (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, January 8, 1878.)

June 1878 – Mr. Churchward not present at Rakwana Planter’s Association meeting, but a letter from him requesting his estates to be withdrawn from the Association (and denied.)(as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, June 28, 1878.)

Dec. 1879 – Mr. and Mrs Churchward attend the Calico Fancy Ball dressed as Kowasjie Jehangirjee and a Spanish Lady, respectively. (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, December 20, 1879.)

Apr. 1880 – Mr. Churchward departs on the Djemnah for Marseilles. (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, April 20, 1880.)

Jul. 1881 – James Churchward has one unclaimed letter in the General Post Office.(as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, July 21, 1880.)

Aug. 1881 – Mr. Churchward of Rakwana and Kukulu Korale is said to have returned to the island via mail steamer. (as reported in the Overland Ceylon Observer, August 5, 1880.)

1881 – James Churchward is listed as an East India Tea Planter in Census documents.

Recently, someone pointed out a blog posting about my great-grandfather, James Churchward and his brother, Albert. Unfortunately, they provided some bad information about James and Albert. The blog posting provides this background:

Dr. Albert Churchward (1852-1925) was a Mason and member of the Geological Society of London. He is the well-respected author of books delving into the evolution of symbols through history in The Origin and Evolution of Religion, Signs and Symbols of Primordial Man, and The Origin and Evolution of the Human Race. He also collaborated extensively with his brother James Churchward, noted author of The Lost Continent of Mu and an additional series of books about the lost continent.

I have posted quite a bit of information about James, here is some on his younger brother Albert:

1852 09/18 Albert Churchward is born to Henry and Matilda Churchward in Okehampton, County Devon.

1870 – Finished Grammar school in Penge, Brompton, Surrey at Stambridge Road and entered Guy’s University Medical School in London Bridge in Surrey.

1873 – Graduated Guy’s University Medical School in London Bridge, Surrey. Admitted to Royal College of Physicians.

1874 – Admitted to Royal College of Surgeons.

1876 – Admitted to membership in Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh. Medical Doctor, Brussels.

1898 02/28 Joined Geological Society of London with brother Wm. Gould Churchward.

1910 – Authored: “The Signs and Symbols of Primordial Man, being an explanation of the Evolution of Religious Doctrines from the Eschatology of the Ancient Egyptians”

1915 – Authored: “The Arcana of Freemasonry”

1921 – Authored: “Origin and Evolution of the Human Race”
Nov. Received illustrations from James Churchward, his older brother living in New York; “Illustrations for Lecture on the Origin of Freemasonry”

1923 – Resigned from Geological Society of London.

1924 – Authored: “The Origin and Evolution of Religion”

1925 09/04 Death of Dr. Albert Churchward. London Times Obituaries, Sept 5, 1925.

As noted by the title of one of his books, Albert was a Freemason, his obituary from the London, “Freemason” is reproduced below.

Albert’s books were not just about the evolution of symbols, but were also about Freemasonry and his belief in human evolution. Albert placed the origin of man in the Nile valley and the lakes at the head of the Nile in Africa. He related that Freemasonry developed among primitive men with the “Stellar Cult” observing Polaris and six other stars in the constellation of Ursa Minor.

James’ books were about a now-sunken Pacific Ocean continent where mankind was created and evolution was impossible. In ‘Books of the Golden Age,’ James writes that Freemasonry is actually a ‘remnant of the First Religion of Mankind’ and based on the ‘Sacred Inspired Writings of Mu.’

Perhaps they conspired to correspond with each other, but would their nefarious purpose be better served if they actually worked together? James did not publish prior to the death of his brother and when he did, he took a completely different path as indicated above.
Even a simple reading of their works would immediately indicate the differences in their theories, so I am not sure what they would have to gain in the supposed plot.

As far as the ‘swastika’ symbol used in the posting:

Niven Tablet # 1231 was reproduced in a few of James’ books and was also identified as a symbol of the Sacred Four.
As some of Niven’s tablets have been analyzed and are accused of being a hoax, (i.e., created by Niven’s diggers to ‘salt’ the dig so that Niven would remain on their land and keep paying them) I am no longer concerned with them as legitimate artifacts. My attempt to discover the real meaning behind the tablets was with the understanding that they were real artifacts and not a hoax.