Phoebe Hesketh was born in Preston, Lancashire. Her father was the pioneer radiologist Arthur E. Rayner; her mother was a violinist in the Hallé Orchestra. Among her aunts was the suffragette Edith Rigby. She was educated at Cheltenham Ladies' College, but left at the age of 17 to care for her ill mother. She married Aubrey Hesketh, the director of a mill, in 1931 when she was 22 and they lived in Rivington, Lancashire.[1][2] Her first collection, Poems, was published in 1939 by Sherratt & Hughes, Manchester, although she later disowned the work to some extent.
During World War II Hesketh worked as the woman's page editor of the Bolton Evening News. In 1948 she published her second volume of poetry, Lean Forward, Spring!, (London: Sidgwick and Jackson), which earned her widespread acclaim amongst the literary community, including from Siegfried Sassoon. During her career she produced sixteen books and, although she never achieved popular success, was championed by several well-known figures including Sassoon, Roy Campbell, and Al Alvarez.
After the war she was a freelance lecturer, poetry teacher and journalist, producing many articles for journals and scripts for the BBC. Her collected poems were gathered together in Netting the Sun: new and collected poems (Petersfield: Enitharmon Press, 1989). Her poetry for younger readers was published in A Song of Sunlight (Chatto, 1974) and in Six of the Best (Puffin, 1989). She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1956, and a Fellow of the University of Central Lancashire in 1990.
For almost all her life she lived in Lancashire, in a landscape frequently described in her poetry, and in her semi-autobiographical prose books Rivington: the story of a village (1972) and Village of the Mountain Ash (1990). From her marriage until she was widowed she lived at Rivington, and afterwards at Heath Charnock. She wrote a biography of her aunt Edith Rigby that was published in 1966. The Heskeths had three children. One of her poems describes the death of her young son. She died on 25 February 2005.
Separately published worksedit
1939: Poems. Manchester: Sherratt & Hughes
1948: Lean Forward, Spring!. London: Sidgwick and Jackson. (Poems)
1952: No Time for Cowards. London: Heinemann. (Poems)
1954: Out of the Dark. London: Heinemann. (Poems)
1956: Between Wheels and Stars. London: Heinemann. (Poems)
1958: The Buttercup Children. London: Hart-Davis. (Poems)
1966: My Aunt Edith. London: Peter Davies. (Biography)
1966: Prayer for Sun. London: Hart-Davis. (Poems)
1972: Rivington: the story of a village. London: Peter Davies. (Partly autobiography, partly history.)
1974: A Song of Sunlight. London: Chatto & Windus. (Poems)
1977: Preparing to Leave. London: Enitharmon Press. (Poems)
1980: The Eighth Day. London: Enitharmon Press. (Poems)
1985: A Ring of Leaves. Birmingham: Hayloft Press ISBN0-948764-01-5. (Poems: "Limited ed. of 300 copies, published to celebrate the poet's 75th birthday")
1985: What can the Matter Be?. Penzance: United Writers. (Prose)
1986: Over the Brook. Leicester: Taxus. (Poems)
1989: Six of the Best. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. (Poems)
1989: Netting the Sun: new and collected poems. Petersfield: Enitharmon Press[3]
1990: Rivington: village of the mountain ash. Preston: Carnegie. (Partly autobiography, partly history.)
1994: The Leave Train. London: Enitharmon Press. (Poems)
1997: A Box of Silver Birch. London: Enitharmon Press. (Poems)
Referencesedit
^Harvey, Anne (28 February 2005). "Phoebe Hesketh". Independent. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
^Brownjohn, Alan (3 March 2005). "Phoebe Hesketh". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
^Hesketh, Phoebe. "Netting the Sun (electronic edition)". Retrieved 24 December 2009.
External linksedit
Phoebe Hesketh correspondence at Senate House Library, University of London
March 17, 2024
phoebe, hesketh, january, 1909, february, 2005, english, poet, from, lancashire, notable, poems, depicting, nature, contents, life, writing, separately, published, works, references, external, linkslife, writing, edit, born, preston, lancashire, father, pionee. Phoebe Hesketh 29 January 1909 25 February 2005 was an English poet from Lancashire notable for her poems depicting nature Contents 1 Life and writing 2 Separately published works 3 References 4 External linksLife and writing editPhoebe Hesketh was born in Preston Lancashire Her father was the pioneer radiologist Arthur E Rayner her mother was a violinist in the Halle Orchestra Among her aunts was the suffragette Edith Rigby She was educated at Cheltenham Ladies College but left at the age of 17 to care for her ill mother She married Aubrey Hesketh the director of a mill in 1931 when she was 22 and they lived in Rivington Lancashire 1 2 Her first collection Poems was published in 1939 by Sherratt amp Hughes Manchester although she later disowned the work to some extent During World War II Hesketh worked as the woman s page editor of the Bolton Evening News In 1948 she published her second volume of poetry Lean Forward Spring London Sidgwick and Jackson which earned her widespread acclaim amongst the literary community including from Siegfried Sassoon During her career she produced sixteen books and although she never achieved popular success was championed by several well known figures including Sassoon Roy Campbell and Al Alvarez After the war she was a freelance lecturer poetry teacher and journalist producing many articles for journals and scripts for the BBC Her collected poems were gathered together in Netting the Sun new and collected poems Petersfield Enitharmon Press 1989 Her poetry for younger readers was published in A Song of Sunlight Chatto 1974 and in Six of the Best Puffin 1989 She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1956 and a Fellow of the University of Central Lancashire in 1990 For almost all her life she lived in Lancashire in a landscape frequently described in her poetry and in her semi autobiographical prose books Rivington the story of a village 1972 and Village of the Mountain Ash 1990 From her marriage until she was widowed she lived at Rivington and afterwards at Heath Charnock She wrote a biography of her aunt Edith Rigby that was published in 1966 The Heskeths had three children One of her poems describes the death of her young son She died on 25 February 2005 Separately published works edit1939 Poems Manchester Sherratt amp Hughes 1948 Lean Forward Spring London Sidgwick and Jackson Poems 1952 No Time for Cowards London Heinemann Poems 1954 Out of the Dark London Heinemann Poems 1956 Between Wheels and Stars London Heinemann Poems 1958 The Buttercup Children London Hart Davis Poems 1966 My Aunt Edith London Peter Davies Biography 1966 Prayer for Sun London Hart Davis Poems 1972 Rivington the story of a village London Peter Davies Partly autobiography partly history 1974 A Song of Sunlight London Chatto amp Windus Poems 1977 Preparing to Leave London Enitharmon Press Poems 1980 The Eighth Day London Enitharmon Press Poems 1985 A Ring of Leaves Birmingham Hayloft Press ISBN 0 948764 01 5 Poems Limited ed of 300 copies published to celebrate the poet s 75th birthday 1985 What can the Matter Be Penzance United Writers Prose 1986 Over the Brook Leicester Taxus Poems 1989 Six of the Best Harmondsworth Penguin Books Poems 1989 Netting the Sun new and collected poems Petersfield Enitharmon Press 3 1990 Rivington village of the mountain ash Preston Carnegie Partly autobiography partly history 1992 Sundowner London Enitharmon Press Poems 1994 The Leave Train London Enitharmon Press Poems 1997 A Box of Silver Birch London Enitharmon Press Poems References edit Harvey Anne 28 February 2005 Phoebe Hesketh Independent Archived from the original on 26 May 2022 Retrieved 31 March 2017 Brownjohn Alan 3 March 2005 Phoebe Hesketh The Guardian Retrieved 31 March 2017 Hesketh Phoebe Netting the Sun electronic edition Retrieved 24 December 2009 External links editPhoebe Hesketh correspondence at Senate House Library University of London Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Phoebe Hesketh amp oldid 1172146007, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
