Herbert Kingsford

Herbert Kingsford, born Sampson Herbert Child Kingsford (1845- 19 July 1909) was a poet born in Dover, Kent. He had two sisters called Edith and Ada and a brother called Ernest. During his life he wrote well over 70 poems, and one, 'England January 1980', which has similarities to the book 1984 by George Orwell and talks about how by 1980 there will be strikes, very little food that is grown in England and how foreign workmen would take over from English.
He married his wife Anne on 5 July 1877, many of his poems being about her or including references to their love, he was also very close to his family, especially his sister Ada, who's death on 18 December 1900 meant that his poems take a clear turn towards darker and more depressing subjects. This however, was just the end of a line of losses; his daughter had died in 1893 on 11 May, the day before his wife's birthday, and his younger brother had died on 18 December 1894. From then on May and December bore a particular sadness to him.
Much of his poetry follows a romantic style, with rhyming couplets commonly used, as well as a number of sonnets, and examples of more complex rhyming schemes especially in his later work. A number of his poems were dedicated to certain people, including notable persons of the time, and also public events. One example is a hymn which he wrote and was later sung at the opening service of St. Barnabas' Church in Acton.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu