Jane Roberts

Dorothy Jane Roberts (May 8, 1929 – September 5, 1984) was an American author, poet, self-proclaimed psychic, and spirit medium, who claimed to channel an energy personality who called himself "Seth." Her publication of the Seth texts, known as the Seth Material, established her as one of the preeminent figures in the world of paranormal phenomena. The Yale University Library Manuscripts and Archives maintains a collection entitled Jane Roberts Papers (MS 1090), which documents the career and personal life of Jane Roberts, including journals, poetry, correspondence, audio and video recordings, and other materials donated after her death by Roberts' husband and other individuals and organizations.

Early life and career

Roberts was born in a hospital in Albany, New York and grew up in nearby Saratoga Springs, New York. Her parents, Delmer Hubbell Roberts and Marie Burdo, divorced when she was two years old. With her only child, the young Marie then returned to her own parents, and the home that the family had rented for a number of years: half of a double dwelling in a poor neighborhood in Saratoga Springs. Marie had begun experiencing the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis by 1932, but worked as much as possible. Eventually Roberts' grandfather, Joseph Burdo, with whom she shared a deep mystical identification, was unable to support two extra people, and the family had to rely upon public assistance. Roberts' grandmother was killed in an automobile accident in 1936.

Jane Roberts (author)

Jane Roberts (1792 - after 1861) was an English author active in the 1830s, best known for her account of a two-year voyage to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) during which she visited and described the Swan River Colony. She had a considerable number of literary and social acquaintances including Augusta Leigh and Lady Cork. During her own lifetime she was sometimes confused with Emma Roberts, with whom she corresponded, though the two women were not related. They were about the same age and they were both referred to as Miss Roberts. Unusually for single women of that era they had also both travelled separately to Calcutta within two or three years of each other.

Early life

Jane Roberts was born in Hythe, Kent, in 1792, the only surviving daughter of John and Martha Roberts (formerly Martha Bedson). Her father was paymaster of 10th Dragoons and later barrack master at Dungeness Fort in Kent, where he died in 1816. Her mother died at Cheyne Walk in Chelsea in 1823, and was buried at Mortlake in Surrey, where Jane erected a tombstone to her memory. Two of Jane's brothers emigrated to Australia, one of whom was Peter Roberts (1786-1860), Deputy Assistant Commissary General in New South Wales. Jane intended to join her brothers in 1829, but for family reasons she immediately returned to England where she wrote an account of her voyage.

Jane Roberts (politician)

Dr. Dame Jane Elizabeth Roberts, DBE (born 1955) is a British psychiatrist and Labour Party politician.

She has been a consultant in child and adolescent psychiatry since 1994, and was Medical Director of Islington Primary Care Trust. She was leader of the London Borough of Camden from 2000 to 2005. She was chair of the Councillors Commission.

Honours

She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2004 for services to local government.

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