Henry Simpson (Poets' Club founder)

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Henry Simpson, FRSL (22 October 1868 - 20 November 1960)[1][2] was a banker and the founder and president of the Poets' Club in London in 1908.

Early life and education[edit]

Simpson was born in Canonbury, London, son of Archibald Simpson, a doctor, and Agnes Simpson (nee Forbes). Simpson's mother was descended from the Lord Forbes of Pitsligo. His Great Uncle was the Scottish architect Archibald Simpson.[3][4] He was brought up in Aberdeen and educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh.[3][1]

Career[edit]

Following school he joined the banking profession, where he spent four years with the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh. He then returned to London where he joined the Capital and Counties Bank and took up the role of bank manager in their Westminster branch.[1]

In March 1908 he played a chief role in the founding of the Poets Club and was the club's first president. The first meeting consisted of a group of nine men and women who met at a Bohemian restaurant in Soho, all were poetry enthusiasts who wished to recite their works in public.[4][5] The club was the first literary club to allow women as members.[3] The club published a number of poetry anthologies which included Simpson's own poems alongside other poets including Ezra Pound and T. E. Hulme.[6]

Simpsons' poems were published in newspapers and literary reviews around the world.[7][8][9][10] He published three books of verse,[3] the first was A Faery Flute which was published in 1909 which was described by the Aberdeen Daily Journal as being "full of fine thoughts and beautiful imagery, couched in choice language and in melodious rhythms."[8] A second book of verse, The Golden Rose and Other Poems, was published in 1917 and influenced by the war: the Illustrated London News review stated that "[t]he author is one of those to whom the thought of war gives pain".[11] and The Gentlewoman's review, that "his efforts breathe the true poetic spirit, and are pregnant with high-minded patriotism."[12] Simpson's final book of verse, Lauds and Loves, was published in 1930 with a preface by his friend, the writer Gilbert Frankau.[13]

Simpson was for many years a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded a Lifetime Fellowship for "services to poetry and letters". He was also a member of the Society's council for ten years and held the role of honorary treasurer.[3]

Simpson, aged 90, was still president of the club when it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1958.[14] He died two year later in November 1960.[2] He was married and had three children.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Memorials of the family of Forbes of Forbesfield". National Library of Scotland. p. 29. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Deaths". The Times. No. 54935. 22 November 1960. p. 1.
  3. ^ a b c d e "MAKAR". Aberdeen Press and Journal. No. 28815. 10 May 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 2 March 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ a b "PARNASSUS IN LONDON The Story of the Poets' Club". The Graphic. No. 2086. 20 November 1909. p. 26. Retrieved 2 March 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "News and Views of Literary London". New York Times. 7 January 1934. pp. BR8.
  6. ^ Pondrom, Cyrena N. (1973). "The Book of the Poets' Club and Pound's "School of Images"". Journal of Modern Literature. 3 (1): 100–102. ISSN 0022-281X. JSTOR 3830893.
  7. ^ "THE LONG LANES OF ENGLAND". The Star (Sydney). 30 April 1910. p. 14. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  8. ^ a b "MR SIMPSON'S POEMS". Aberdeen Press and Journal. No. 17165. 17 January 1910. p. 2. Retrieved 2 March 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "MISCELLANEOUS". South Australian Register. 9 July 1910. p. 4. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  10. ^ "IN FEBRUARY". New York Times Saturday Review of Books & Art. XV (7): 73. 12 February 1910 – via HathiTrust.
  11. ^ "Lovers of poetry will welcome a new volume...". Illustrated London News. No. 4087. 18 August 1917. p. 25. Retrieved 2 March 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "THE GOLDEN ROSE AND OTHER POEMS". The Gentlewoman. No. 1389. 17 February 1917. p. 16. Retrieved 2 March 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ D'Arch Smith, Timothy (2015). The Frankaus : prejudice and principles within a London literary family. [Wilby, Norwich]. p. 179. ISBN 9780859553261. OCLC 1244732303.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ^ Swaffer, Hannen (29 June 1958). "The poets' night". The People. No. 3995. p. 4. Retrieved 2 March 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.

Sources[edit]

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