Frances Ridley Havergal (14 December 1836 – 3 June 1879) was an English religious poet and hymnwriter. Take My Life and Let it Be and Thy Life for Me (also known as I Gave My Life for Thee) are two of her best known hymns. She also wrote hymn melodies, religious tracts, and works for children. She did not occupy, and did not claim for herself, a prominent place as a poet, but she carved out a niche for herself.

Early life and education

Frances Ridley Havergal was born into an Anglican family, at Astley in Worcestershire, 14 December 1836. Her father, William Henry Havergal (1793–1870), was a clergyman, writer, composer, and hymnwriter. Her brother, Henry East Havergal, was a priest in the Church of England and an organist. When she was five, her father moved to the Rectory of St. Nicholas, Worcester. In August, 1850, she entered Mrs. Teed's school, who had a strong influence on her. 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. In 1852/3, she studied in the Louisenschule, Düsseldorf, and at Oberkassel. Havergal's scholastic acquirements were extensive, embracing several modern languages, together with Greek and Hebrew. On her return to England, she was confirmed in Worcester Cathedral, 17 July 1853.

Career

In 1860, she left Worcester upon 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, Scotland, and North Wales. It was during this time—1873—that she read J. T. Renford's little booklet All For Jesus, which "lifted her whole life into sunshine, of which all she had previously experienced was but as pale and passing April gleams, compared with the fullness of summer glory." She led a quiet life, not enjoying consistent good health. She supported the Church Missionary Society. Havergal's hymns were frequently printed by J. & R. Parlane as leaflets, and by Caswall & Co. as ornamental cards. They were gathered together from time to time and published in her works as follows:— (1) Ministry of Song, 1869; (2) Twelve Sacred Songs for Little Singers, 1870; (3) Under the Surface, 1874; (4) Loyal Responses, 1878; (5) Life Mosaic, 1879; (6) Life Chords, 1880; and (7) Life Echoes, 1883. About fifteen of the more important of Havergal's hymns, including “Golden harps are sounding,” “I gave my life for thee," “Jesus, Master, Whose I am,” “Lord, speak to me,” “O Master, at Thy feet,” “Take my life and let it be,” “Tell it out among the heathen," &c., are annotated under their respective first lines. The rest, which are in collections, number nearly fifty. These are noted here, together with dates and places of composition, from the Havergal manuscripts and the works in which they were published. Those which were printed in Parlane's Series of Leaflets are distinguished as (P., 1872, &c.) and those in Caswall's series (C., 1873, &c). Most of these hymns are given in Snepp's Songs of Grace and Glory, and many of them are also in several other hymn-books, including Hymns Ancient and Modern, Hymns and Sacred Lyrics, Church Hymns, The Hymnal Companion, and some of the leading American collections.

Death and legacy

Havergal died of peritonitis near Caswell Bay on the Gower Peninsula in Wales at age 42. She is buried in the far western corner of the churchyard at St Peter's parish church, Astley, together with her father and near her sister, Maria V. G. Havergal. Her sisters saw much of her work published posthumously. Havergal College, a private girls' school in Toronto, is named after her. The composer Havergal Brian adopted the name as a tribute to the Havergal family.

Style and themes

Her hymns praised the love of God, and His way of salvation to this end, and for this object, her whole life and all her powers were consecrated. She lived and spoke in every line of her poetry. Her religious views and theological bias were distinctly set forth in her poems, and may be described as mildly Calvinistic, without the severe dogmatic tenet of reprobation. The burden of her writings was a free and full salvation, through the Redeemer's merits, for every sinner who will receive it, and her life was devoted to the proclamation of this truth by personal labours, literary efforts, and earnest interest in Foreign Missions.

Selected works

Books

Hymns

Gallery

Covers and inscriptions

Illustrations

Citations

Attribution