Frances Ridley Havergal

Frances Ridley Havergal (December 14 1836 – June 3 1879) was an English religious poet and hymn writer. Thy Life for Me is one of her best known hymns. She also wrote a number of hymn tunes, and religious tracts; and works for children.

She was born into an Anglican family, at Astley in Worcestershire; her father William Henry Havergal (1793-1870) was a clergyman, writer and composer, and also wrote hymns. The composer Havergal Brian adopted the name as a tribute to the Havergal family.

In 1852/3 she studied in the Louisenschule, Düsseldorf, and at Obercassel . Otherwise she led a quiet life, not enjoying consistent good health; she travelled, in particular to Switzerland. She supported the Church Missionary Society .

She died of peritonitis at Cas­well Bay in Wales. Her sisters saw much of her work published posthumously.

Works

• Ministry of Song (1870)
• Under the Surface (1874)
• Royal Commandments (1878)
• Loyal Responses (1878)
• Kept for the Master's Use (1879) memoirs
• Life Chords (1880)
• Royal Bounty (1880)
• Swiss Letters and Alpine Poems (1881) edited by J. M. Crane
• Under His Shadow: the Last Poems of Frances Ridley Havergal (1881)
• The Royal Invitation (1882)
• Life Echoes (1883)
• Poetical Works (1884) edited by M. V. G. Havergal and Frances Anna Shaw
• Coming to the King (1886)

References

• Frances Ridley Havergal's Last Week (1879) Maria Vernon Graham Havergal
• Memorials of Frances Ridley Havergal, by her Sister (1880) M. V. G. Havergal, including an autobiography
• Florence Nightingale Frances Ridley Havergal Catherine Marsh Mrs Ranyard (1885) Lizzie Alldridge
• Frances Ridley Havergal: a full sketch of her life, (1904) Edward Davies
• Women who have worked and won : the life-story of Mrs. Spurgeon, Mrs. Booth-Tucker, F.R. Havergal, and Ramabai (1904) Jennie Chappell