The Irish daughter of a Major, Cecil Frances Humphreys (b April 1818 in Dublin, Ireland) began writing poetry at the age of nine. Fearing that her stern father would disapprove, she hid the poems under the carpet in her bedroom. But one day he discovered them. To her surprise and delight, he gave her a box, with a large slit in the top, for her poems. On Saturday evenings, he opened the box and bought out the new poems, read them aloud, and made helpful and encouraging comments.
By the 1840s she was already known as a hymn writer and her compositions were included in Church of Ireland hymnbooks
Humphreys book, Hymns for Little Children, which was published in 1848 was intended to make the articles of the Apostles’ Creed more understandable to children by using poetry and picture language. Among the hymns included were "There is a Green Hill Far Away," which was written for a sick child, "Once in Royal David’s City" about Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and "All Things Bright and Beautiful," which was based on the phrase “maker of Heaven and Earth” in the Apostle’s Creed. Her collection was a major success reaching its 69th edition before the close of the nineteenth century.
In 1850 Cecil Frances married William Alexander, an Anglican clergyman. They newlyweds began their married life serving together in a church in an impoverished rural area of Ireland. William Alexander went on to become a Bishop and then Archbishop of Ireland.
After her marriage, Mrs Alexander continued her poetry and hymn writing but also devoted much of her time to visiting the poor and the sick in their parish. She gave the profits of her successful hymnbook to support handicapped children in the north of Ireland.
Cecil Frances Alexander died at the age of 77 on October 12 1895 and is buried in the Londonderry cathedral in Ireland. When her husband died 16 years later, the congregation sang at his funeral "There is a Green Hill Far Away."
In the 20th century, James Herriot, a country vet, used words from the refrain of Mrs Alexander’s "All Things Bright and Beautiful," as the titles to his four very popular semi-autobiographical books. His first work, All Creatures Great and Small, was recognized immediately as a classic.
By the 1840s she was already known as a hymn writer and her compositions were included in Church of Ireland hymnbooks
Humphreys book, Hymns for Little Children, which was published in 1848 was intended to make the articles of the Apostles’ Creed more understandable to children by using poetry and picture language. Among the hymns included were "There is a Green Hill Far Away," which was written for a sick child, "Once in Royal David’s City" about Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and "All Things Bright and Beautiful," which was based on the phrase “maker of Heaven and Earth” in the Apostle’s Creed. Her collection was a major success reaching its 69th edition before the close of the nineteenth century.
In 1850 Cecil Frances married William Alexander, an Anglican clergyman. They newlyweds began their married life serving together in a church in an impoverished rural area of Ireland. William Alexander went on to become a Bishop and then Archbishop of Ireland.
After her marriage, Mrs Alexander continued her poetry and hymn writing but also devoted much of her time to visiting the poor and the sick in their parish. She gave the profits of her successful hymnbook to support handicapped children in the north of Ireland.
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| Photograph of Cecil F. H. Alexander |
Cecil Frances Alexander died at the age of 77 on October 12 1895 and is buried in the Londonderry cathedral in Ireland. When her husband died 16 years later, the congregation sang at his funeral "There is a Green Hill Far Away."
In the 20th century, James Herriot, a country vet, used words from the refrain of Mrs Alexander’s "All Things Bright and Beautiful," as the titles to his four very popular semi-autobiographical books. His first work, All Creatures Great and Small, was recognized immediately as a classic.
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