Frances ridley havergal another year is dawning
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About Frances Ridley Havergal
This oval portrait was one of the eight photographs taken by Elliott and Fry on February 1, 1879. Note that this is not an enlargement, but a separate, different photograph than the one with her signature on this website. The portrait in chalk on page v was drawn the same month, February, four months before her death at age 42.
This portrait was made in Frances’ last year, when she was visiting friends in London, in February 1879 (after her 42nd birthday on December 14). There are strong reasons to think that this portrait is in no way flattering but gives an accurate copy of how she looked at that time. Ira Sankey, D. L. Moody’s song leader, visited her weeks before her very unexpected early death, and he later commented on how young she looked; others also commented on how she looked younger than her age in years. Both Frances and her family would have accepted only an accurate, realistic, truthful portrait, never a flattering one. The brooch was a gift to her from her father, having Frances’ personal emblem, a harp; this was one of very few Recently catalogued deposits of books, family sketchbooks, music, testimonials and presentation volumes, as well as biographical texts, shed light on the English religious poet and hymnwriter, and her remarkable family. Born on 14th December 1836, Frances Ridley Havergal was raised in the Victorian English vicarage of Astley, Worcestershire. The youngest child of Reverend William Henry Havergal and Jane (Head) Havergal, she was a talented singer and piano player and composed many Christian hymns and melodies, some of which we still sing today. She also wrote religious tracts and children’s books, and though she did not claim to occupy a prominent place for herself as a poet, nevertheless fashioned one. Frances Ridley Havergal.jpg: Frances Ridley Havergal in her ninth year, illustration by Helga von Cramm, Life Chords, 1880: Ref 899:749 BA13545/1/6 The Havergal home produced several creative Christians. Frances’ father was himself a composer and hymnwriter, her brother Henry an organist, and her sisters Ellen, Jane and Maria accomplished artists and writers. Maria e Notes from Dr. Julian's Hymnology: Miss Havergal was born at Astley, Worcestershire, Dec. 14th. 1836, the daughter of the Rev. W.H. Havergal. Five years later her father moved to the Rectory of St. Nicholas, Worcester. In Aug. 1850 she entered Mrs. Teed's school, whose influence over her was most beneficial. In the following year she says, "I committed my soul to the Saviour, and earth and heaven seemed brighter from that moment". A short sojourn in Germany followed, and on her return she was confirmed in Worcester Cathedral, July 17th. 1853. In 1866 she left Worcester on her father resigning the Rectory of St. Nicholas and resided at different periods in Leamington and at Caswell Bay, Swansea. broken by visits to Switzerland, June 3rd. 1879. Miss Havergal's scholastic acquirements were extensive, embracing several modern languages, together with Greek and Hebrew. She does not occupy, and did not claim for herself, a prominent place as a poet, but by her distinctive individuality she carved out a niche that she alone could fill.
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Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-1879.
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