Henley, W.E.
People > Henley,W.E.
In the churchyard of St. John the Baptist is a monument to the nineteenth
century poet, playwright and author W.E. Henley.
As a young man Henley suffered from tuberculosis, which resulted in the amputation of a leg. He was treated in Edinburgh by Joseph Lister where he also met Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson later used him to develop the character of Long John Silver in Treasure Island (1883). Henley collaborated with Stevenson on a number of plays including 'Deacon Brodie' (1880). Unfortunately, their long friendship was to end in a bitter quarrel.
Henley was also a friend of J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. Henley used to address Barrie as 'friend', which Henley's only daughter mispronounced as 'fwend' and changed in a childish way to 'fwendy-wendy'. The latter part of this familiar name gave the name of 'Wendy darling'.
Henley is also remembered for the well loved poems 'England my England' and 'Invictus'. The latter of these poems contains the famous lines "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
Also commemorated in the churchyard of St. John the Baptist is Henley's daughter Margaret who died in 1894, aged four years.
Despite being buried in Cockayne Hatley, Henley never lived in the village. It was at the suggestion of Harry Cust, a friend of Henley's, that Margaret was buried at Cockayne Hatley. When Henley died he was buried with her.
Further Reading:
- Cockayne Hatley and 'Peter Pan' by Nancy Meggs in the Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 19, p.257
Images:
W.E. Henley by Bedfordshire Libraries, 2005
Page last updated: 23rd January 2014