Robert Story (poet)
Encyclopedia
Robert Story known as "the Craven Poet", was an English poet.
in Northumberland
in the northeastern England in 1795. His father Robin Story (d. 1809), was an agricultural labourer, and his mother, Mary Hooliston, was originally from Lauder
, Scotland. Due to his father's work, the family moved frequently around the villages in the county. He was educated at Wark School under Mr Kinton and then at Crookham
. When just 10 years old, Story ran away to accompany a lame fiddler on an excursion through the Scottish Borders
for a month, and about a year later the family moved to Howtel
, where Story attended the local school. He later claimed that this was where "I learned nearly all that I ever learned from a Master—namely to read badly, to write worse, and to cipher a little farther, perhaps than to the Rule of Three." There he was introduced to Divine Songs for Children, and discovered a love of poetry while reading on the hills, where he was employed first as a gardener from around 1807, but found more congenial service as a shepherd, an occupation commemorated in one of his lyrics, ‘Pours the spring on Howdsden yet’. In the summer of 1810 he began to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic in a school at Humbleton, but often dabbled with labouring work in the fields like Burns, as evidenced in his poem The Harvest (1816), before returning to teaching.
By 1820 he had moved to Gargrave
in North Yorkshire
where he opened a school. He married Ellen Ellison on 17 May 1823, mentioned in some of his early poems. In 1825 he published a volume of poetry, Craven Blossoms. Story was a strong opponent of parliamentary reform and found himself most unpopular with many parents of the children in his school who withdrew them from his teaching by about 1830.
Finding himself in financial difficulty, he wrote Magic Fountain in 1829, and in 1834 he expressed poetic support for the Conservative Party, in a work entitled The Isles are Awake. Dependent on his friends for a period in the 1830s, he achieved success in publishing The Outlaw (1839), a historical drama set during the reign of Henry VIII and Love and Literature, an autobiographical work published in 1842. During this period he befriended William Gourley, a mathematician.
In 1843, Sir Robert Peel
's Conservative government offered a small post for Story in the Audit Office, which saw him move to London. His first few years in London were of considerable hardship, during which he lost four of his children. In 1845 he published Songs and Lyrical Poems (3rd edn, 1849), and in 1852 a versified tale of the heptarchy
entitled Guthrum the Dane, a medieval romance.
In 1854, Story paid a visit to Paris where he was presented to Napoleon III as a successor of Burns. Algernon Percy, the Duke of Northumberland
, became a patron
in 1857 and financed an edition of his works. In 1859 Story was invited to Ayr
for the centenary celebrations of Robert Burns
, where he recited his poem on Burns. The Bradfordian considered that "he stands high among the minor poets of Great Britain
, and many of his sweet lyrics will most assuredly descend to and be highly admired by posterity, and by none more than Yorkshiremen
." He died at his home at 12 Harley Street, Battersea
, London on 7 July 1860 and was buried at the Brompton Cemetery
.
Biography
Story was born at Wark on TweedWark on Tweed
Wark on Tweed is a village in the English county of Northumberland. It lies about south west of Berwick-upon-Tweed...
in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
in the northeastern England in 1795. His father Robin Story (d. 1809), was an agricultural labourer, and his mother, Mary Hooliston, was originally from Lauder
Lauder
The Royal Burgh of Lauder is a town in the Scottish Borders 27 miles south east of Edinburgh. It is also a royal burgh in the county of Berwickshire. It lies on the edge of the Lammermuir Hills, on the Southern Upland Way.-Medieval history:...
, Scotland. Due to his father's work, the family moved frequently around the villages in the county. He was educated at Wark School under Mr Kinton and then at Crookham
Crookham, Northumberland
Crookham is a village on the River Till in Northumberland, in England. It is situated approximately to the east of Coldstream and northwest of Wooler. It has two farms, which are both west of the village. They are called Crookham Eastfield and Crookham Westfield...
. When just 10 years old, Story ran away to accompany a lame fiddler on an excursion through the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
for a month, and about a year later the family moved to Howtel
Howtel
Howtel is a village in Northumberland, England about northwest of Wooler. The name Howtel is thought to mean Low Ground with a Holt or Wood.- History :...
, where Story attended the local school. He later claimed that this was where "I learned nearly all that I ever learned from a Master—namely to read badly, to write worse, and to cipher a little farther, perhaps than to the Rule of Three." There he was introduced to Divine Songs for Children, and discovered a love of poetry while reading on the hills, where he was employed first as a gardener from around 1807, but found more congenial service as a shepherd, an occupation commemorated in one of his lyrics, ‘Pours the spring on Howdsden yet’. In the summer of 1810 he began to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic in a school at Humbleton, but often dabbled with labouring work in the fields like Burns, as evidenced in his poem The Harvest (1816), before returning to teaching.
By 1820 he had moved to Gargrave
Gargrave
Gargrave is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district located along the A65, northwest of Skipton in North Yorkshire, England.It is situated on the very edge of the Yorkshire Dales. The River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal pass through the village...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
where he opened a school. He married Ellen Ellison on 17 May 1823, mentioned in some of his early poems. In 1825 he published a volume of poetry, Craven Blossoms. Story was a strong opponent of parliamentary reform and found himself most unpopular with many parents of the children in his school who withdrew them from his teaching by about 1830.
Finding himself in financial difficulty, he wrote Magic Fountain in 1829, and in 1834 he expressed poetic support for the Conservative Party, in a work entitled The Isles are Awake. Dependent on his friends for a period in the 1830s, he achieved success in publishing The Outlaw (1839), a historical drama set during the reign of Henry VIII and Love and Literature, an autobiographical work published in 1842. During this period he befriended William Gourley, a mathematician.
In 1843, Sir Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
's Conservative government offered a small post for Story in the Audit Office, which saw him move to London. His first few years in London were of considerable hardship, during which he lost four of his children. In 1845 he published Songs and Lyrical Poems (3rd edn, 1849), and in 1852 a versified tale of the heptarchy
Heptarchy
The Heptarchy is a collective name applied to the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of south, east, and central Great Britain during late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, conventionally identified as seven: Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex...
entitled Guthrum the Dane, a medieval romance.
In 1854, Story paid a visit to Paris where he was presented to Napoleon III as a successor of Burns. Algernon Percy, the Duke of Northumberland
Algernon Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland
Algernon George Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland KG, PC , styled Lord Lovaine between 1830 and 1865 and Earl Percy between 1865 and 1867, was a British Conservative politician...
, became a patron
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
in 1857 and financed an edition of his works. In 1859 Story was invited to Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
for the centenary celebrations of 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...
, where he recited his poem on Burns. The Bradfordian considered that "he stands high among the minor poets of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, and many of his sweet lyrics will most assuredly descend to and be highly admired by posterity, and by none more than Yorkshiremen
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
." He died at his home at 12 Harley Street, Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
, London on 7 July 1860 and was buried at the Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
.