Thompson, Francis Joseph, 1859-1907

Francis Thompson was born on December 18, 1859 to parents Charles and Mary (née Morton) in Preston, Lancashire. The Thompson family was deeply Catholic, having converted in support of Cardinal Newman as a result of the Oxford Movement, and at the age of eleven, Francis Thompson was sent to Ushaw College, a Catholic seminary. Thompson studied medicine for nearly eight years at Owens College, University of Manchester. While excelling in essay writing, he took no interest in his medical studies; he had a passion for poetry and never practiced as a doctor.

In 1885 he fled, penniless, to London, where he tried to make a living as a writer, in the meantime taking odd jobs. During this time, he became addicted to opium. In 1888, after three years on the streets, he was "discovered" after sending his poetry to the magazine Merrie England. He was sought out by the magazine's editors, Wilfrid and Alice Meynell, who provided him with lodging. Thompson went into a rehabilitation center in order to overcome his opium addiction with the assistance of the Meynells. During this time, Thompson wrote two of his best-known poems, "Ode to the Setting Sun" and "The Hound of Heaven," both of which explore the theme of Christian rebirth and a rediscovery of God's goodness. Francis wrote most of his poetry during this period of 1888 to 1897, after which he turned to writing prose.

His publications after 1897 shifted from a mixture including poetry to become predominantly literary criticism and scholarly essays, including on St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. John Baptist de La Salle, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. During the late 1890s, Thompson developed a close friendship with Katharine "Katie" Douglas King. Thompson shared King's concern for the London poor and her love of writing. King's death in 1901 left Thompson in a state of depression and he once again began to take opium. Thompson died from tuberculosis at the age of 47, on November 13, 1907.