Mrs Emma Hardinge Britten (née Floyd) (2 May 1823–2 October 1899)

British spiritualist advocate, writer and lecturer. Britten was born Emma Floyd in Stepney, East London. As a child she started a career in music, playing and composing for churches in London and Bristol. After a brief flirtation with opera singing in Paris, she returned to London and began a stage career, performing under the name Emma Hardinge from 1844 to 1853. In 1856 she travelled to America to pursue a theatrical career. In New York City she was converted to the Spiritualist philosophy and attended séances. On 11 October 1870 in Jersey City she married William Britten. In America she offered services as a medium, hosted séances and lectured on Spiritualism. In 1872, Britten attempted to start a magazine, The Western Star, which failed after only six issues. Britten also she became involved in theosophy and was also one of six founding members of the Theosophical Society with Helena Blavatsky. She travelled with her husband to England, Australia and New Zealand as Spiritualist missionaries. In 1882 they settled in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, England. She died in Manchester, England in 1899.