Janet Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Janet Hamilton was a nineteenth century Scottish
poet
.
She was born as Janet Thomson at Carshill, Shotts
parish, Lanarkshire
in 1795, the daughter of a shoemaker. During her childhood the family moved to Hamilton
, and then to Langloan, in the parish of Old Monkland, Lanarkshire. For a time her parents became farm labourers, and she worked at the tambour-frame. Her father at length settled down in business for himself as a shoemaker, and John Hamilton, one of his young workmen, married Janet in 1809. They lived together at Langloan for about sixty years, and had a family of ten children.
Having learned to read as a girl, she became familiar with the Bible
, with Shakespeare and Milton
, with many standard histories, biographies, and essays, and with the poems of Allan Ramsay
, Robert Fergusson
and Robert Burns
. Before she was twenty years old she had written numerous verses on religious themes, but family cares prevented further composition until she was about fifty-four. Then she began to write essays for a supplement to Cassell's Working Man's Friend, as well as poems in English and Scots and reminiscences of village and rural Scotland during her youth.
During the last 18 years of her life she was blind, and her husband and one of her daughters (Marion) read to her. A son, James, served as her amanuensis
. She died on 27 October 1873, aged 78, having never been "more than twenty miles from her dwelling". A large crowd of people attended her funeral, and a memorial fountain has been placed nearly opposite her cottage.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
She was born as Janet Thomson at Carshill, Shotts
Shotts
Shotts is a small rural town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located almost halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh . As of the 2001 census, the population was 8,235...
parish, Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
in 1795, the daughter of a shoemaker. During her childhood the family moved to Hamilton
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
, and then to Langloan, in the parish of Old Monkland, Lanarkshire. For a time her parents became farm labourers, and she worked at the tambour-frame. Her father at length settled down in business for himself as a shoemaker, and John Hamilton, one of his young workmen, married Janet in 1809. They lived together at Langloan for about sixty years, and had a family of ten children.
Having learned to read as a girl, she became familiar with the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, with Shakespeare and Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
, with many standard histories, biographies, and essays, and with the poems of Allan Ramsay
Allan Ramsay (poet)
Allan Ramsay was a Scottish poet , playwright, publisher, librarian and wig-maker.-Life and career:...
, Robert Fergusson
Robert Fergusson
Robert Fergusson was a Scottish poet. After formal education at the University of St Andrews, Fergusson followed an essentially bohemian life course in Edinburgh, the city of his birth, then at the height of intellectual and cultural ferment as part of the Scottish enlightenment...
and Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
. Before she was twenty years old she had written numerous verses on religious themes, but family cares prevented further composition until she was about fifty-four. Then she began to write essays for a supplement to Cassell's Working Man's Friend, as well as poems in English and Scots and reminiscences of village and rural Scotland during her youth.
During the last 18 years of her life she was blind, and her husband and one of her daughters (Marion) read to her. A son, James, served as her amanuensis
Amanuensis
Amanuensis is a Latin word adopted in various languages, including English, for certain persons performing a function by hand, either writing down the words of another or performing manual labour...
. She died on 27 October 1873, aged 78, having never been "more than twenty miles from her dwelling". A large crowd of people attended her funeral, and a memorial fountain has been placed nearly opposite her cottage.
Works
- Poems and essays of a miscellaneous character on subjects of general interest. 1863 Glasgow
- Poems of purpose and sketches in prose of Scottish peasant life and character in auld lang syne, sketches of local scenes and characters : with a glossary 1865. Glasgow.
- Poems and Ballads. With introductory papers by G. GilfillanGeorge GilfillanGeorge Gilfillan was a Scottish author and poet. He was one of the spasmodic poets, and an editor and commentator of earlier British poetry. He was born at Comrie, Perthshire, where his father, the Rev. Samuel Gilfillan, the author of some theological works, was for many years minister of a...
and A. Wallace. 1868. Glasgow - Poems, essays, and sketches. 1870. Glasgow A compilation of the best of the 1863 and 1865 poetry books.
- Pictures in Prose and Verse; or, Personal recollections of the late Janet Hamilton .. together with several hitherto unpublished poetic pieces. 1877. Edited by John Young. Glasgow.
Sources
- Pictures in Prose and Verse; or, Personal recollections of the late Janet Hamilton .. together with several hitherto unpublished poetic pieces. 1877. Glasgow. Pages 1-41
- Poems, sketches and essays. 1880. Glasgow. Introduction to Janet Hamilton's life and character by Rev. George GilfillanGeorge GilfillanGeorge Gilfillan was a Scottish author and poet. He was one of the spasmodic poets, and an editor and commentator of earlier British poetry. He was born at Comrie, Perthshire, where his father, the Rev. Samuel Gilfillan, the author of some theological works, was for many years minister of a...
. - Janet Hamilton. and other papers. By Joseph Wright. 1889 Edinburgh
- Wilson, James Grant. Poets and Poetry of Scotland. Volume 2 1876 Pages 149-151.
- Murdoch, Alexander G. Recent and Living Scottish Poets. 1883 Pages 334-337.
- Eyre-Todd, George. Glasgow poets. 1903 Pages 224-233.
- Edwards, D. H. One Hundred Modern Scottish Poets. 1880 Pages 248-259
- Boos, Florence S., ed. Working-Class Women Poets in Victorian Britain: An Anthology. Broadview Press, 2008. This contains a selection of Hamilton poems in Scots and English with glosses and biographical materials.