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Annie Besant is often described in one word as a theosophist. Her whole life was actually a story of courage and a search for Truth. Her loyalty to Truth was so great that she said she would follow it no matter where it led her, and even after her death she wanted the line” She tried to follow truth” , as her epitaph on her tomb. Born on October 1, 1847 as Annie Wood in Clap hem, London, her parents were William Wood and Emily Morris.

Her mother was of pure Irish descent   , while her father was half Irish. She loved the Irish language; it was like music to her ears.

Annie Besant `s maternal grandfather was also a typical Irishman whom she admired as a child. Her mother Emily was the second daughter in a large family. She was adopted by an Aunt who was proud of her roots that consisted of seven kings of France –the Milesian Kings. Annie and her mother shared a very deep bond that grew stronger and stronger with time. She felt that her mother was the sweetest, tender, proudest and purest of women. Annie `s father was a doctor.  . He was well educated and had mastered   many languages –French, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. He would often sit and read out Passages from ancient and modern literature

He loved to read aloud for her mother who listened while she worked. He was a liberal and had outgrown beliefs. Her father and her mother were very companions. But the happiness of her family were not for too long.

 Once during the dissection of the body of a person who had died of consumption, her father cut his finger. One surgeon suggested to him to amputate his finger but others laughed it off, saying nature should not be tampered with. In 1852, in the month of August, he got a severe cool after riding on the top of an omnibus in wet weather. The cold settled on his chest and as eminent doctor   , after examining him declared that he would not live more than six weeks.  After her father` s death   , the period of struggle started   . Her mother anxiety was tremendous as they had no money to fall back on. She had never seen any problems when her husband was alive. Being a doctor, he earned a good living. Many relatives did not agree with the young widow `s foolish pride which she upheld, in such a penniless state. But she had a firm mind and she educated her son at Horrow, where the fees was not so high and then decided to send him either to Oxford or Cambridge. Her father relatives remained her friends and did support her in the early part of her struggle. During one of the family visits nearby, 

Annie ` s mother met a lady who asked to educate Annie, her name was Miss Marryat.

Miss Marryat took great delight in teaching the children. She would seek out and help to educate those children free who were pressed by poverty .The children called her `Auntie ` .She made learning a very enjoyable experience.

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