Meynell, Alice Christiana Gertrude, 1847-1922

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Alice Christiana Gertrude Thompson was born in England on October 11, 1847 to Thomas James and Christiana (Weller) Thompson. Alice and her sister Elizabeth received their education from their father and were brought up primarily in the English countryside and Italy. Alice was encouraged to write poetry by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, to whom she was introduced by family friend Aubrey de Vere. Alice became a poet, and Elizabeth became a painter.

In 1868, Alice was received into the Catholic Church at St. George's, Worcester. Her mother had converted, and her sister and father eventually did as well. A devout Catholic, Meynell's faith was of central importance to her life and work.

Alice Meynell’s first book of poetry, Preludes (1875) featured illustrations by Elizabeth. The work was well-received by such literary figures as Tennyson, de Vere, Christina Rosetti, and John Ruskin. Shortly thereafter, she met and married Wilfrid Meynell, a journalist and admirer of her work. They had eight children, one of whom died infancy. While raising their family, Meynell continued to write and to assist Wilfrid with the editorial responsibilities of the Weekly Register and Merry England. Subsequent books of her poems included Poems (1893), Later Poems (1902), Collected Poems of Alice Meynell (1913) and the posthumous Last Poems (1923).

Alice Meynell contributed to the Pall Mall Gazette, National Observer, Spectator, and Tablet as a reviewer, critic, essayist, and columnist. An accomplished art critic, she also wrote for the Magazine of Art and Art Journal. She was the author of seven collections of essays, including The Rhythm of Life (1893), and numerous prefaces to works by noted literary figures, including William Blake, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and William Wordsworth.

Alice Meynell died on November 27, 1922.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Vol. III, A-M. 1790-1931.includes:f. 1 Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, Viscount Allenby: Letter to Sir P. C. Mitchell: 1930.f. 2 Henry Edward Armstrong, FRS; chemist: Letter to A. W. Rowe: 1905.ff. 2-165 passim Arthur Walton Rowe, MRCS: Letters to..., 1790-1931 British Library
creatorOf Coventry Patmore collection Boston College. John J. Burns Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Autograph letter signed Alice Meynell to: "My Dear Miss Marks" August 29, 1918. Wellesley College
creatorOf Beaux, Cecilia, 1855-1942. Letters, 1903-1913. Boston Athenaeum
referencedIn Thompson, Christiana Jane, 1825-1910,. Autograph letters signed from Christiana Thompson to Augustin Daly [manuscript], 1892-1894. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Letter : London, to Samuel Loveman, Cleveland, Ohio, Feb. 14. Bryn Mawr College, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library
referencedIn Vol. II, ff. 306, H-O.includes:ff. 1, 5 Sir Francis Seymour Haden, etcher and surgeon: Letters to C. W. and C. D. Sherbom: 1880, 1902. f. 7 Louis Haghe, lithographer and painter: Letter to W. Jerdan: 1848. f.8 Louis Haghe, lithographer and painter:... British Library
referencedIn John Singer Sargent Letters, 1895-1923 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
creatorOf Eccles Bequest. Vol. CV. Miscellaneous correspondence; 1883-1915, n.d. Partly typewritten.1. Sir Percy Sholto Douglas, 10th Marquess of Queensberry and Sir John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess Queensberry; 1883-1885, n.d.2. Robert H. Sherard and Willia..., 1883-1919 British Library
creatorOf Tabb, John B. (John Banister), 1845-1909. Papers of John Banister Tabb [manuscript]. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Alice Christiana (Thompson) Meynell letter. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
referencedIn Fales Manuscript Collection, ca. 1700-2000 Fales Library & Special Collections
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Autograph letter signed Alice Meynell to: "My Dear Miss Tuell" September 23, [s.d.]. Wellesley College
referencedIn British authors collection, 1840-1953. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Carey, Graham. Clippings, 1925-1931. University of Notre Dame, Hesburgh Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Letter, 19-- Sept. 28, Greatham, Pulborough, Sussex, to Mr. Farjeon. Texas A&M University-Commerce Libraries
creatorOf Boston College Collection of the Alice and Wilfrid Meynell Family Boston College. John J. Burns Library
referencedIn Meynell, Wilfrid, 1852-1948. Letters and card, 1930-1936 and 1943, London and Sussex, to R.N. Green-Armytage, Bath. Bryn Mawr College, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library
creatorOf Beach, H. H. A., Mrs., 1867-1944. Christ in the universe : for soli, chorus and organ ; op. 132 / words by Alice Meynell ; music by Mrs. H.H.A. Beach. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Willcox, Louise Collier, 1865-1919. Papers of Louise Collier Willcox, 1870-1933. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf J. Randolph Sasnett Papers Boston College. John J. Burns Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Typed letter to: "My Dear Miss Tuell" December 14, [s.d.]. Wellesley College
referencedIn Additional papers, ca. 1870-1922. Houghton Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Autograph letter signed Alice Meynell to: "colonel Higginson" October 31, [s.d.]. Wellesley College
referencedIn John Lane Company Records TXRC00-A11., 1856-1933, bulk 1894-1930 Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Letter : [London], to Lady Grove concerning engagements. Washington State University, Holland and Terrell Libraries
creatorOf HAKE PAPERS. Vol. X (ff. 271). Correspondence of G. G. Hake and his family. Viz.:– 1. ff. 1-55. Letters of D. G. Rossetti; circa 1872-1875. Printed, for the most part, in Letters of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, as with 49467, ff. 1-253, above. Included (f..., 1865-1894 British Library
creatorOf Patmore, Coventry, 1823-1896. Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore collection of papers, [1841]-1948 bulk ([1841]-1892). New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Papers and Correspondence of Coventry Patmore (1823-1896), poet and writer, 1850-1949 The University of Nottingham
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. The wind is blind : autograph manuscript signed of the poem : [n.p., n.d.]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Boston College Collection of Francis Thompson Boston College. John J. Burns Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Alice Christiana Thompson Meynell collection of papers, 1895-1929. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Meynell, Alice Christiana Thompson, Mrs., 1847-1922. Letter, [ca.1867-1903?], [London], to [William Ernest] Henley. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn 'MICHAEL FIELD' CORRESPONDENCE. Vol. I (ff. 239). Letters to 'Michael Field' from various correspondents, including a few (ff. 5, 12, 24, 26, 44) addressed to Miss Bradley's sister, Mrs E. Cooper; 1871-1911, n.d. Some of the earlier letters refer to ..., 1871-1911 British Library
referencedIn Clement King Shorter collection of papers, 1853-1926, 1889-1926 The New York Public Library. Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.
creatorOf Huss, Henry Holden, 1862-1953. A shepardess [sic] : song for high voice / poem by Alice Meynell ; music by Henry Holden Huss. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Snell, Kenneth R. (Kenneth Richard), 1940-1993. Papers of Kenneth Snell. Libraries Australia
creatorOf MILLAR BEQUEST. Vols. XC, XCI. Autograph collection, 1689-1937 British Library
referencedIn JOHN IRELAND COLLECTION. Vol. XXIX. Songs. ff. 62. Largest size 370 x 275mm. 1. ff. 2-3. 'If we must part', valediction for voice and piano; 25 July 1929. Score. Text by Ernest Dowson. Published in The Land of lost Content and other Songs, London: Ga..., 1929-1938 British Library
referencedIn Meynell, Wilfrid, 1852-1948. Letter : London, to Laurence Housman, 1922 Dec. 4. Bryn Mawr College, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library
creatorOf Willcox, Louise Collier, 1865-1919. Papers of Louise Collier Willcox, 1870-1933. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Sarah Orne Jewett correspondence, 1861-1930. Houghton Library
referencedIn Vol. VIII (ff. 276). Letters to 'Michael Field', mainly from authors or relating to literary subjects, including an extensive series from Richard Garnett, John Ruskin and Arthur Symons; 1875-1913. Arranged alphabetically.Katherine Harris Bradley, ali..., 1875-1913 British Library
creatorOf Vol. LXXXI. 1876-1891.Oscar Browning, CBE; historian: Correspondence with Oscar Wilde: 1887-[1888].Frank Miles, painter: Letters to Oscar Wilde: [1876]-1878.Thomas Waldo Story, American sculptor: Letter from Oscar Wilde: 1884.Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie..., 1876-1891 British Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Alice Meynell letters, circa 1910. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Autograph letter signed Alice Meynell to: "My Dear Mrs. Bates" Wellesley College
creatorOf John Lane Company. Records of the John Lane Company, 1856-1933 (bulk, 1894-1930). Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
referencedIn Murphy, Anna. Letter 1897, Oct 8, Berkeley, Calif [to] Mr. [Edwin] Markham, Oakland, Calif / Anna Murphy. Wagner College, Horrmann Library
referencedIn Housman, A. E. (Alfred Edward), 1859-1936. Commonplace book, 1890s. Bryn Mawr College, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. To Silence : autograph manuscript signed of the poem : [n.p., n.d.]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf J. Randolph Sasnett Papers Boston College. John J. Burns Library
referencedIn G K Chesterton Papers, 1877-1988 British Library: Western Manuscripts
referencedIn Sir William Rothenstein correspondence and other papers, 1887-1957. Houghton Library
creatorOf Carrico, Joseph Leonard, 1881-1944. Papers, 1910-1936. University of Notre Dame, Hesburgh Library
referencedIn Derek Patmore Papers Boston College. John J. Burns Library
referencedIn Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore collection of papers, 1841]-1948, 1841-1892 The New York Public Library. Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.
referencedIn Wilfrid Scawen Blunt papers, 1882-1937. Houghton Library
creatorOf Alice Meynell manuscript material : 1 item, between 1877 and 1897 The New York Public Library. Carl H. Pforzheimer Collection of Shelley and His Circle.
creatorOf Meynell, Alice Christiana (Thompson), 1850-1922. The English metres : autograph poem not signed, undated. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf 'Summer in England 1914': a poem by Alice Meynell; 1914. Autograph fair copy of stanzas 1-3, written on one side only of a quarto leaf of ruled white wove paper. No watermark. Entitled as above, and signed 'Alice Meynell'. The text found in the MS. i..., 1914 British Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Autograph letter signed and typed letter signed : London, to Mr. [Richard] Le Gallienne, [n.d.]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Autograph letter signed : London, to "Dear Madam", 1885 July 17. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Letters : London, to Mrs. Burchett, [London], [187-?]. Texas Christian University
creatorOf CHARNWOOD AUTOGRAPHS. Vol. II. English literary autographs; circa 16th-20th cent. Included are Edmund Waller, Andrew Marvell, John Evelyn, John Locke, John Dryden, Joseph Addison, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, William Congreve, Sir Richard Steele, ..., approximately 16th century-20th century British Library
referencedIn Howells family papers, 1850-1954 (inclusive). Houghton Library
creatorOf Letters to Alice Meynell letters to Ethel Rolt Wheeler, 1910–1911 University of Delaware Library - Special Collections
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Letter, 191- Jan. 4, London, to Mr. Rugg. Dartmouth College Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Autograph letter signed : London, to Mrs. [Rosamund Marriott] Watson, [no year] May 15. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Patmore, Coventry, 1823-1896. Letter, [1896 Mar. 27, Lymington] : to Wilfrid Meynell, London. Bryn Mawr College, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Letters, undated, London, to Laurence Housman. Bryn Mawr College, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library
referencedIn Murphy, Anna. Letter 1897, Sept 25, Berkeley, Calif [to] Mr. [Edwin] Markham, Oakland, Calif / Anna Murphy. Wagner College, Horrmann Library
creatorOf HAKE PAPERS. Vol. IX (ff. 166). General correspondence; 1864-1894, n.d.Thomas Gordon Hake, physician and poet; nephew of Lieutenant -General H W Gordon: Letters to: 1864-1894, n.d.includes:f. 1 Frederick Walcott Robert Gordon, brother of General C ..., 1864-1894 British Library
creatorOf HENRY ROWLAND-BROWN AND 'ROWLAND GREY': letters to Henry Rowland-Brown or his sister, Lilian, who wrote under the name of 'Rowland Grey', mostly rel. to the proposed W. S. Gilbert Memorial, and to Rowland Grey's work on the biography of Gilbert publi..., 1911-1923 British Library
creatorOf Alice Christiana Thompson Meynell collection of papers, 1875-1929 The New York Public Library. Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.
referencedIn Autograph File, M Houghton Library
creatorOf Papers, 1920. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Letters : London, to Mrs. Burchett, [London], [187-?]. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922. Autograph letter signed : London, to an unidentified recipient, [1880] July 14. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Alice Meynell papers, ca. 1875, 1893. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
creatorOf Tuer, Andrew White, 1838-1900. Letters, 1879-1918. Indiana University
contributorOf Annie and Elizabeth O'Brien Christitch Papers Boston College. John J. Burns Library
creatorOf Robertson, W. Graham (Walford Graham), 1866-1948. Papers of W. Graham Robertson, 1875-1948. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf G. K. CHESTERTON PAPERS. VOL. LIII (ff. 207). Correspondence with:1. f. 1. Holbrook Jackson; 1934. Signed.2. ff. 2-5v. Jolan Jacobi, General Secretary of the Kulturbund, Vienna; 1934-1935. Signed. With a visiting card and an introductory letter from ..., 1893-1936 British Library
referencedIn James Thomas Fields collection of autographs and portraits of distinguished women, 1814-1907. Houghton Library
creatorOf Vol. VII (ff. 181). 1910-1923.Franklin Thomas Grant Richards, author and publisher: Correspondence with Harold Monro from Franklin Thomas Grant Richards: 1920-1921: Signed and typewritten.Frank Sidgwick, of Sidgwick and Jackson: Letters to Harold Mon..., 1910-1923 British Library
referencedIn Fales Manuscript Collection, ca. 1700-2000 Fales Library & Special Collections
creatorOf De la Mare, Walter, 1873-1956. Typed letter signed : Taplow, to Tom Turner / 1938 Dec. 28. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Meynell, Alice Christiana Thompson, 1847-1922. Alice Meynell letters to M. S. O'Donnell [manuscript], [?] Oct 25 and 1902 Mar 31. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Lee, Sidney, Sir, 1859-1926. Autograph manuscripts in the hand of various authors of introductions, general and individual, to the Renaissance edition of Shakespeare (1907-1908) [manuscript], 1903-1906. Folger Shakespeare Library
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associatedWith Bates, Katharine Lee, 1859-1929. person
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associatedWith Beaux, Cecilia, 1855-1942. person
correspondedWith Blunt, Wilfrid Scawen, 1840-1922 person
associatedWith Burke, Charles Bell person
associatedWith Burns, Oates and Washbourne ltd, publishers. corporateBody
associatedWith Carey, Graham. person
associatedWith Carrico, Joseph Leonard, 1881-1944. person
founderOf Catholic Women's Suffrage Society corporateBody
associatedWith Christitch, Annie, 1885-1977. person
associatedWith Clarke, Mary Cowden, 1809-1898 person
associatedWith De la Mare, Walter, 1873-1956. person
associatedWith De Vere, Aubrey, 1814-1902 person
associatedWith Dodgson, Charles Lutwidge, 1832-1898 person
associatedWith Fales, DeCoursey, 1888-1966 person
correspondedWith Fields, James Thomas, 1817-1881 person
associatedWith Freeman, John, 1880-1929. person
correspondedWith Grove, Agnes Geraldine, Lady person
associatedWith Henley, William Ernest, 1849-1903, person
associatedWith Higginson, Thomas Wentworth, 1823-1911. person
associatedWith Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894. person
associatedWith Housman, A. E. (Alfred Edward), 1859-1936. person
associatedWith Housman, Laurence, 1865-1959. person
associatedWith Howe, W. T. H. (William Thomas Hildrup), person
associatedWith Hunt, Violet, 1862-1942. person
associatedWith Huss, Henry Holden, 1862-1953. person
correspondedWith Jewett, Sarah Orne, 1849-1909 person
associatedWith John Lane Company corporateBody
associatedWith Lane, John, 1854-1925, person
associatedWith Lee, Sidney, Sir, 1859-1926. person
associatedWith Le Gallienne, Richard, 1866-1947, person
associatedWith Loveman, Samuel, 1887-1976. person
associatedWith Marks, Jeannette Augustus, 1875-1964. person
associatedWith Marsh, Edward Howard, Sir, 1872-1953. person
associatedWith Melrose, Andrew, 1860- person
associatedWith Meynell, Francis, 1891-1975 person
associatedWith Meynell, Wilfrid, 1852-1948. person
associatedWith Murphy, Anna. person
associatedWith O'Donnell, Michael S., 1847- person
associatedWith Patmore, Coventry, 1823-1896. person
associatedWith Patmore, Derek, 1908-1972. person
associatedWith Peabody, Josephine Preston, 1874-1922 person
associatedWith Ray, Gordon Norton, 1915- person
associatedWith Robertson, W. Graham (Walford Graham), 1866-1948. person
associatedWith Rolt-Wheeler, Ethel. person
associatedWith Rossetti, Christina Georgina, 1830-1894 person
correspondedWith Rothenstein, William, Sir, 1872-1945 person
correspondedWith Rothenstein, William, Sir, 1872-1945 person
associatedWith Rugg, Harold Goddard, 1883-1957. person
associatedWith Sargent, John Singer, 1856-1925 person
associatedWith Sasnett, J. Randolph. person
associatedWith Seymour, William Kean, 1887- person
associatedWith Shorter, Clement King, 1857-1926. person
associatedWith Snell, Kenneth R. (Kenneth Richard), 1940-1993. person
associatedWith Tabb, John B. (John Banister), 1845-1909. person
associatedWith Thompson, Christiana Jane, 1825-1910, person
associatedWith Thompson, Francis, 1859-1907. person
associatedWith Thompson, Mary Thaw, 1856-1944. person
associatedWith Tuell, Anne Kimball, 1875-1960. person
associatedWith Tuer, Andrew White, 1838-1900. person
associatedWith Waterhouse, Elizabeth person
associatedWith Watson, Rosamund Marriott, 1863-1911, person
associatedWith Willcox, Louise Collier, 1865-1919. person
leaderOf Women Writer's Suffrage League corporateBody
associatedWith Young, James Carlton. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
England ENG GB
Christchurch, Hampshire
Subject
Authors, English
Authors, English
Authors, English
Authors, English
Authors, Irish
English literature
English literature
Poets, English
Journalists
Women poets
Women authors, English
Women authors, English
Women authors, English
Women authors, English
Women authors, English
Women poets, English
Women poets, English
Women poets, English
Women poets, English
Women poets, English
Occupation
Authors
Women poets
Women authors, English
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Birth 1847-09-22

Death 1922-11-27

English

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