The Prophet of Berkeley Square is a novel written by Robert Hichens. The story is set in the early 20th century and follows the life of a man named Henry, who becomes a spiritual teacher and prophet in the heart of London. Henry is a wealthy and successful businessman who has a sudden spiritual awakening while walking through Berkeley Square. He begins to see the world in a new way and feels a calling to share his spiritual insights with others. He starts giving public talks and soon attracts a devoted following of followers who are drawn to his wisdom and charisma. Despite facing criticism and ridicule from the skeptical public, Henry continues to spread his message of love and spiritual awakening. He encounters various characters, including a wealthy woman who becomes his disciple and a skeptical journalist who is initially dismissive of him but eventually becomes a believer. As Henry becomes more famous and influential, he also becomes the target of those who see him as a threat to their own interests. The novel explores themes of spirituality, love, and the conflict between materialism and higher consciousness. Overall, The Prophet of Berkeley Square is a thought-provoking novel that explores the search for meaning and purpose in life, as well as the challenges faced by those who seek to bring spiritual enlightenment to the world.
Robert Hichens, a British sailor born on September 16, 1882, was on the deck of the RMS Titanic when it sank during her maiden voyage. He was in control of the Lifeboat, and he stubbornly declined to go back and save any more drowning people. He wed Florence Mortimore in Devon, England, in 1906. His refusal to return to the scene of the catastrophe to rescue victims was charged by passengers. claimed he criticised those at the oars and dubbed people in the water "stiffs." Hichens would later claim, in statements provided to the United States Senate inquiry, that he had never used the term "stiffs" to describe bodies and that he had instead used other terms. He was imprisoned in 1933 for attempting to kill Harry Henley and freed in 1937. In 1931, his wife and kids moved away from him to Southampton, where he started drinking heavily. Hichens, died from heart failure on 23 September 1940 at 58, on board the English Trader, as the ship was docked off the shore of Aberdeen, Scotland. His remains were buried in Aberdeen's Trinity Cemetery in Section 10, Lair 244.
