Alfred Perceval Graves
Encyclopedia
Alfred Perceval Graves (22 July 1846 - 27 December 1931), was an Anglo-Irish
poet, songwriter, and school inspector (HMI). His first marriage to Jane Cooper, eldest daughter of James Cooper of Cooper Hill, Co. Limerick, resulted in five children: the journalist Philip Graves
, Mary, Richard, Alfred, and Susan. After the death of Jane, he married Amy von Ranke, daughter of Heinrich von Ranke, and produced another five children: Clarissa, Rosaleen, the poet and scholar Robert Graves
, the journalist Charles Patrick Graves
, and John.
, bishop of Limerick
, by his wife Selina, the daughter of John Cheyne (1777–1836), the Physician-General to the Forces in Ireland. Alfred was educated in England at Windermere College, and Trinity College, Dublin. His paternal grandmother Helena was a Perceval, and the granddaughter of the Earl of Egmont
. His grandfather, John Crosbie Graves, was a first cousin of 'Ireland's most celebrated surgeon', Robert James Graves
.
In 1869 he entered the Civil Service as clerk in the Home Office
, where he remained until he became an inspector of schools in 1874 . He was a contributor of prose and verse to the Spectator
, The Athenaeum
, John Bull
, and Punch magazine.
He took a leading part in the revival of Irish letters. He was for several years president of the Irish Literary Society, and was the author of the famous ballad
of Father O'Flynn and many other songs and ballads. In collaboration with Charles Stanford
he published Songs of Old Ireland (1882), Irish Songs and Ballads (1893), the airs of which are taken from the Petrie MSS.; the airs of his Irish Folk-Songs (1897) were arranged by Charles Wood
, with whom he also collaborated on Songs of Erin (1901).
He published an autobiography, To Return to All That in 1930, as a response to his son Robert's Goodbye to All That
.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
poet, songwriter, and school inspector (HMI). His first marriage to Jane Cooper, eldest daughter of James Cooper of Cooper Hill, Co. Limerick, resulted in five children: the journalist Philip Graves
Philip Graves
Philip Perceval Graves was an Irish journalist and writer. While working as a foreign correspondent of The Times in Constantinople, he exposed The Protocols of the Elders of Zion as an antisemitic plagiarism, fraud, and hoax.-Life:Graves, eldest son of the writer Alfred Perceval Graves , was born...
, Mary, Richard, Alfred, and Susan. After the death of Jane, he married Amy von Ranke, daughter of Heinrich von Ranke, and produced another five children: Clarissa, Rosaleen, the poet and scholar Robert Graves
Robert Graves
Robert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...
, the journalist Charles Patrick Graves
Charles Patrick Graves
Charles Ranke Patrick Graves was a journalist and writer.Born in Wimbledon, England, he worked on the Sunday Express, Daily Mail and many other newspapers. He published 46 books in all including the Thin Blue Line or Adventures in the RAF. His hobbies were golf and gin rummy...
, and John.
Life and work
He was born in Dublin on 22 July 1846, the son of The Rt. Rev Charles GravesCharles Graves (bishop)
The Rt. Rev. Charles Graves, F.R.S., D.D., LL.D. was a 19th Century Anglican Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe. He was also a mathematician.-Early life:...
, bishop of Limerick
Bishop of Limerick
The Bishop of Limerick is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Limerick in the Province of Munster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it still continues as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of...
, by his wife Selina, the daughter of John Cheyne (1777–1836), the Physician-General to the Forces in Ireland. Alfred was educated in England at Windermere College, and Trinity College, Dublin. His paternal grandmother Helena was a Perceval, and the granddaughter of the Earl of Egmont
Earl of Egmont
Earl of Egmont is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1733 for John Perceval, 1st Viscount Perceval. This Perceval descends from John Perceval, who on 9 September 1661 was created a Baronet, of Kanturk in the County of Cork, in the Baronetage of Ireland. He was succeeded by his...
. His grandfather, John Crosbie Graves, was a first cousin of 'Ireland's most celebrated surgeon', Robert James Graves
Robert James Graves
Robert James Graves, M.D., F.R.C.S. was an eminent Irish surgeon after whom Graves' disease takes its name. He was President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Fellow of the Royal Society of London and the founder of the Dublin Journal of Medical Science...
.
In 1869 he entered the Civil Service as clerk in the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, where he remained until he became an inspector of schools in 1874 . He was a contributor of prose and verse to the Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
, The Athenaeum
Athenaeum (magazine)
The Athenaeum was a literary magazine published in London from 1828 to 1921. It had a reputation for publishing the very best writers of the age....
, John Bull
John Bull
John Bull is a national personification of Britain in general and England in particular, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged man, often wearing a Union Flag waistcoat.-Origin:...
, and Punch magazine.
He took a leading part in the revival of Irish letters. He was for several years president of the Irish Literary Society, and was the author of the famous ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
of Father O'Flynn and many other songs and ballads. In collaboration with Charles Stanford
Charles Stanford
Charles Stanford may refer to:*Charles Villiers Stanford , Irish composer* Charles Stanford , Baptist minister...
he published Songs of Old Ireland (1882), Irish Songs and Ballads (1893), the airs of which are taken from the Petrie MSS.; the airs of his Irish Folk-Songs (1897) were arranged by Charles Wood
Charles Wood (composer)
Charles Wood was an Irish composer and teacher.Born in Armagh, Ireland, he was the fifth child and third son of Charles Wood Sr. and Jemima Wood. His father was a tenor in the choir of the nearby St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh , and later worked as the Diocesan Registrar of the church...
, with whom he also collaborated on Songs of Erin (1901).
He published an autobiography, To Return to All That in 1930, as a response to his son Robert's Goodbye to All That
Goodbye to All That
Good-Bye to All That, an autobiography by Robert Graves, first appeared in 1929, when the author was thirty-four. "It was my bitter leave-taking of England," he wrote in a prologue to the revised second edition of 1957, "where I had recently broken a good many conventions"...
.
External links
- Songs of Old Ireland: A Collection of Fifty Irish Melodies with words by Alfred Perceval Graves and music arranged by Charles Villiers Stanford