Montgomery, James, 1771-1854

The poet James Montgomery was born in Irvine, Ayrshire, on 4 November 1771. He was sent to the Moravian school (the Moravians are a religious community) at Fulneck, near Leeds, and while there began writing poetry. Work followed in a bakery and then in a store, and then to the offices of the Sheffield Register . Facing prosecution, the proprietor and editor of the journal - a reformer - escaped to America, and Montgomery became the working editor and then the owner of the title which he changed to the Sheffield Iris . He too faced prosecution over his publishing content and he spent time in York Castle prison for describing a Sheffield riot in 1795. Poetry rather than journalism was his forte however and his work included The ocean (1805), The common lot (1805), The wanderer of Switzerland (1806), The West Indies (1809), The world before the flood (1812), Greenland (1819) and The pelican island (1827). James Montgomery died on 30 April 1854.

From the guide to the Papers of James Montgomery (1771-1854), 1841, (Edinburgh University Library)

James Montgomery was a journalist, poet, and activist. Raised in Ireland by Moravian parents, the young Montgomery neglected his studies to write poetry. He emigrated to England to look for a job and a publisher, and found himself working for a reform newspaper in Sheffield; when the paper's publisher fled the country to escape prosecution, Montgomery took over as editor. He became well-known for his poetry, including some book-length poems, and later in life wrote numerous popular hymns. His religious beliefs encouraged him to social activism, and he was imprisoned twice for his stands.

From the description of James Montgomery poems and note, 1827-1831. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 61356060

James Montgomery was born at Irvine in Ayrshire on November 4th, 1771. He was sent to a Moravian school at Fulneck, near Leeds at an early age, and left aged 16 to become apprenticed to a shopkeeper. An attempt to make his way in London failed, and he returned to South Yorkshire, where he was appointed assistant editor to the Sheffield Register, to which he contributed extensively. The proprietor and editor of the Register, an ardent reformer, got into political trouble and absconded to America, enabling Montgomery to take over as editor. In an effort to disarm the political hostility of the Government he changed the name of the Register to the Iris, and adopted a more moderate political line. Montgomery underwent two prosecutions for libel, instituted as a means of intimidating the Sheffield political clubs, each time being committed to York Prison. As well as making his journalistic contributions Montgomery was also a poet, The Wanderer of Switzerland of 1806 attracting public attention, and in 1809 he produced a poem on the slave trade, The West Indies, which gained great popularity. He also produced numerous hymns. Montgomery lived in Sheffield for 62 of his 83 years, and in later years was accounted a local hero.

From the guide to the James Montgomery Manuscripts, [ca. 1800]-1850, (University of Sheffield Library)