Skip to content

Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne (1869-1931) : Some Biographical and Bibliograpical Notes.

The Poet Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne (1869-1931).

 

Stephen Lambden UC Merced.

IN PROGRESS - Last updated 06-07-2919.

Oxford Grave of TKC and EGC

Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne (1869-1931) : Some Biographical and Bibliograpical Notes.

The first wife of the biblical scholar and Oxford lecturer Thomas Kelly Cheyne, was Frances E. Godfrey (1844-1907), the third daughter of the Revd D. R. Godfrey, fellow of Queen's College, Oxford, and rector of Stow, Norfolk, whom he married on 31st January 1882. His second wife was the poetess Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne (1869-1931) daughter of John Pattinson Gibson (a chemist of Hexham) whom he married (aged 69) on August 28th [19th] 1911 about four years after the death of his first wife. Elizabeth Gibson was the sister of the `War Poet'  Wilfred Wilson Gibson (b. Hexham 1878-1962). Both  of T.K. Cheyne's marriages were childless.

For key biographical and other researches and papers  reference should ne made to materials available in the important Judy Greenway   Website :

My research into the life of a relative, poet and feminist Elizabeth Gibson, problematizes the boundaries and interrelationships

`From the Wilderness to the Beloved City: Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne'

[Oxford, December] 2012]. ‘Gautama of India, Jesus of Nazareth, Emerson of Concord, Abdu’l-Bahá of Persia … one God, though called by innumerable beautiful names’, wrote Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne after meeting Abdu’l-Bahá. Talk given at the Commemorative Day celebrating the centenary of Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Oxford.'

The Prose, Poetical and other writings and Correspondence of Elizabeth G. Cheyne.  

For Library locations of many of Elizabeth Gibson's writings refer Google Books: Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne. In Norman Colbeck's `A Bookman's Catalogue' A-L (Univ. of British Columbia Press, 1987 = ISBN-10: 077480274X ISBN-13: 978-0774802741) under `Gibson, Wilfred Wilson' (see esp. vol. 1 pp. 287-289) some very exact and detailed descriptions of certain of the poetical writings of Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne can be found along with a few other interesting details regarding her and her brother's friendships and acquaintances.British Library (London, UK), Department of Manuscripts. Gibson, Wilfrid Wilson; Cheyne, Elizabeth Gibson

    LIST OF BOOKS BY DATING - IN PROGRESS

     

    • 1899 The Evangel of joy. [Prose]. London: Grant Richards, 1899. 12pp. [Print run of 600 copies] Oxford in Bodlean Lib. Bodleian BOD Bookstack 26520 f.102. Copy in University of Texas at Austin Library Harry Ransom. World Cat. Library Locations + :

      "Aphorisms.
      "Only six hundred copies ... will be printed in this form, and of these only five hundred are for sale"--Verso of half-t.p. Description:18 leaves ; 17 cm

    • http://www.worldcat.org/title/evangel-of-joy/oclc/54109404?referer=brief...
    •  
    • 1902 A Christmas Garland, verses. London: Elkin Mathews, in Bodlean Lib. Bodleian BOD Bookstack 14770 f.261. 13cm.

    • 1902 The burden of love. [verse]. London: Elkin Mathews, 1902. 60pp. Vigo cabinet ser. 10. In Bod. Library = Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 f.18. Copy in Cambridge Univ. Library; University of Toronto , call number = PR6005 H474 B8. PR 6005 .H474B8 ROBA. The Vigo cabinet series, no. 10. + Copies in 7 or more USA Libraries, e.g. SUNY at Buffalo; Princeton Univ. Lib, etc.Note "Paperbound in deep blue-green; printed and illustrated in black. Physical Description:60 p. ; 17 cm.
    • PDf.  EGC-B Love-c.pdf
    • 1903 The Well by the Way [prose]. London: Simple Life Press, ser. 7. 12pp. ? Copy in Bod. Lib. Bodleian BOD Bookstack 26520 f.61.Copies in New York Pub. Library - Research; SUNY at Buffalo; University of Texas at Austin Library (Harry Ransom); Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru National Library (Wales).
    • 1904 Leaves of Life. London: Thomas Laurie. In 2 USA Libraies: SUNY at Buffalo + Univ. of Texas at Austin (Harry Ranson).
    • 1904 A flock of dreams. London: Elkin Mathews, 1904. Vigo cabinet ser. 22., Copy in Bod. Lib. Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 f.85 . Copy in Cambridge Univ. Lib. and three USA Libraries = Univ. of Chicago; Princeton Univ. Library; Univ. California at San Diego.
    • 1904 From a Cloister. London: Elkin Mathews Vigo cabinet ser. 19. Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 f.85.

    •  1905 Love's fugitives. London: Elkin Mathews, Vigo cabinet ser. 25. Oxford Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 f.185; Cambridge Univ. Library + Copies in 3 USA Libraries = SUNY at Buffalo; University of Chicago: Princeton University; Copy in Univ. Stellenbosch, J.S. Gericke Library (Matieland South Africa).+ Copy in Princeton Unic. Library - available Google Books:
    • PDf  https://books.google.com/books?id=iH4VAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=El... sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiUkduivobaAhVU5GMKHRTYAxcQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=Elizabeth%20Gibson%20Cheyne&f=false
    •  
    • 1905 Shadows. verse. London: Elkin Mathews, 1905. Vigo cabinet ser. 31. Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 f.122. Copies in Cambridge Univ. Library and at least 3 USA Libraries = Univ. Chicago; Princeton Univ. Library; Univ. California at San Diego.
    • 1906 A little book of saints [verse]. London: A. C. Fifield, Simple Life Press.1906. Devotional verse, Bodleian BOD Bookstack 14770 f.284. Copy in Univ. of Texas at Austin (Harry Ransom).
    • 1906 Flowers from Upland and Valley [Prose] London: Simple Life Press [self pub?] Brochure ser. 3. Bodleian BOD Bookstack 3835 f.130.
    • 19XX [1902] A Christmas Garland. London: Elkin Mathews.
    •  1907 From the shadow : a book of poems. Cranleigh, Surrey: Samurai Press, 1907. viii, 9-63, [1] pp. 20 cm. Bound in blue paper over boards; stamped in black on front cover; olive green cloth shelfback; off-white dust jacket. (Yale Univ. Lib. Cat.); Oxford Univ. Library = Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 e.670 + in at least 10 USA Libraries as listed by World Cat.
    •  1907 By Many Streams, A Book of Poems by Elizabeth Gibson, Cranleigh: Samurai Press, 1907. 52pp. [to W. W. G] Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 e.618. Copies in around 10 USA Libraries = Univ. of Michegan Library. SUNY at Buffalo. Illinois Wesleyan Univ. Yale Univ. Library., etc.
    •  1908 [4?] A book of Reverie. London, etc.. : John Lane, Bodleian BOD Bookstack 27001 f.33
    •  1908 The day's journey. Cranleigh, Surrey: Samurai Press. 1908. Copies in Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 e.669; Univ. of Michegan Library; SUNY Buffalo; Southern Illinois Univ. at Edwardsville; Smith's College; etc.
    • 1908 A Pilgrim's staff. Cranleigh, Surrey: Samurai Press. 1908.Copies in Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 e.672 ; Univ. of Windsor, Leddy Library (Canada); Univ. of Michegan Library; SUNY Buffalo; National Library of Ireland, Dublin, etc..
    • 1908 In the starlight, verse. Cranleigh: Samurai Press.Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 e.671; Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 e.9772
    • 1909 The Welling of Waters. Hexham: E. Gibson, 1909. Copies in New York Public Library - Research; University of Texas at Austin Library, Harry Ransom.
    • 1910 Blossoms of Peace. Hexham: E. Gibson, 1910. Copies in New York Pub. Library - Research; Columbia Univ. Libraries; University of Texas at Austin Library, Harry Ransom.
    •  1910 The son of man is come, verse. Oxford: Mrs. Cheyne.Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 e.9772 + Copies in at least 4 USA Univ. Libraries = Univ. Chicago; Yale Univ. Library, Harvard Univ. Library; University of Texas at Austin Library, Harry Ransom.
    • 1910[4] (??) Unto us a Son is Given. Oxford: Mrs Cheyne. Copy in Univ. of Chicago Library + Univ. of Texas at Austin, Harry Ransom.
    • 1910 The Fruits of the Valley. Hexham: E. Gibson, 1910. Copy in New York Public Library; Columbia Univ. Library; Univ. of  Texas at Austin, Harry Ransom.
    •  1911 [1915?] The way of the Lord. Oxford: Mrs Chyene (Self Published?), 1911. A copy exists in Cambridge and Oxford Univ. Libraries. + Yale Univ. Library.

    Advertisment from `The voice of one crying..'  .An endpage with `Extracts from Notices and Reviews' in TKC's 1913 'The Veil of Hebrew History'.

    •  1912 The voice of one crying, arranged in cycles by Mrs. Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne. London: Adam & Charles Black. 1912. Hbk. Bound in blue-green cloth over boards; stamped in blind and gold on cover and spine; black endpapers. Copy in Bodleian BOD Bookstack 1419 e.1936. and Brit. Library. Copy in British Library. + Oxford., Cambridge, SUNY (Buffalo), Harvard College Library; Univ. of Illinois etc.
    •  1912 Cheyne, Elizabeth. The Voice of One Crying ... Arranged in cycles by T. K. C. [i.e. Thomas Kelly Cheyne.]. London : Adam & Charles Black, 1912. (128 pp.)
    •  1913 The Beloved City, He Gave me Rest. Oxford: Mrs Cheyne, Oakthorpe Road, 1913. Copes in 3 USA Libraries: NYPLResearch; Hard. Univ. Harvard College Library; Univ. Texas at Austin

     

    • 1914 The man with the mirror. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1914. Oxford Univ. Library = Bodleian BOD Bookstack 27001 e.363.
    • PDF. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.22333
    • PDf, EGC-Mirror c.pdf
    • 1914 Oxford [poems] Oxford: Mrs Cheyne {Enterprise Printing Works]. For a description see Colbeck 1987 page 289 No. 48. World Cat says `no known copy'!
    •  1914 Litanies. Oxford: ?? Copy in Bodlean Lib. : Bodleian BOD Bookstack 28001 e.1347
    •  1914 Vigils. [poems]. Oxford: Mrs Cheyne, 1914. No known copy (see World Cat.)
    •  1914 A Rosary (and other poems) Oxford: Mrs Cheyne, 1914.
    •  1914 The Return Home. Oxford: Mrs. Cheyne, Oakthorpe Road, 1914. Copies , for example, in Univ. North Carolina; New York Public Library - Research; Harvard Univ. - Harvard College Library.
    •  1915 The lover of life (and other poems). Oxford: Mrs Cheyne, 1915.
    •  1915 I am the Resurrection and the Life. verse. 8pp. (?) London: the author. Copy in Bodlean: BOD Bookstack 14770 e.551 Devotional verse, theology... Copy in Univ. of Texas at Austin, Harry Ransom. Several Copies in American Univ. Libraries, e.g. Harvard; Chicago; New York Public Library, etc.

    •  1915 London. London : Mrs Gibson Cheyne, [Self Published] 1915. `Dedicated to my Husband' (= TKC).
    • https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.510439 
    • PDf. EGC London.pdf
    •  1915 Resurrection. London : Mrs Gibson Cheyne, 1915.
    •  1915. A Rover [n.p.] A single Poem, unpub. ms., "This is held in the Morgan Library   and is a single poem in EGC’s handwriting, dated 8 October 1915, in an autograph book which belonged to ... Wilfrid Gibson" (so Judy Greenway to whom I am grateful for this data). cf. World Cat. Google Search, etc.

    ________

     

     

    See further  Judy Greenway :

    Wilfrid Gibson: biographical information, timeline and resources

    Also the many important pspers here :

    SEE FURTHER :

    • 1898 `Letters from Wilfrid Wilson Gibson and his sister Elizabeth (Mrs Cheyne) in the correspondence files of Sydney Carlyle Cockerell' in the British Library. Dept. of Manuscripts. Here we find letters of Elizabeth Gibson to Sir Sydney Carlyle Cockerell (1867-1962), who was Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, between 1908-1937. They were written between 1899-1917. See Add. 52716 ff. 123-163
    • http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/manuscripts/DESC0010.ASP? CollectionID=27&NStart=52716&CollectionName=Add&strHead=Add.%
    2052716
    Brotherton Library (Leeds, UK) University of Leeds, LEEDS LS2 9JT England Phone 0113 343 5663
    Cheyne, Elizabeth Gibson

    University of Reading (Berkshire, UK) Library.
    Cheyne, Elizabeth Gibson,

    • 1902 `Letter from Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne to Charles Elkin Mathews.' University of Reading. Library. Wilfred Wilson Gibson (1878-1962 ) & Elizabeth Gibson [Cheyne] [d.1931] + William Faversham & Arthur K. Sabin. • Wilfred and Elizabeth Gibson [= Elizabeth (Gibson) Cheyne]. 111 items. [Monro, Harold, 1879-1932] Poetry Bookshop. London. Samurai Press.

    "Comprise letters to Maurice Browne chiefly concerning the publication by the Samurai Press of their writings, particularly her books By many streams and From the shadow, and his The Stonefolds, On the threshold, and The web of life. From 1909 the letters are only from W. W. Gibson and deal with his writings; the promotion, publication, and performances of his work; and Browne's artistic criticism and friendship. Two letters concern Harold Monro and the Poetry Bookshop, one is written in the margin of a letter from William Faversham, and several are addressed to Arthur K. Sabin. Also included are manuscripts and proof sheets for 3 works by him and 3 by her." Library Cat. Note Browne, Maurice, 1881-1955. British poet and playwright. Ellen Van Volkenburg-Maurice Browne Papers, 1792-1968...

     

    Ellen Van Volkenburg-Maurice Browne general correspondence
    Includes item(s) from Elizabeth Gibson/ Cheyne.
    .♦

    Select Poems Published in Magazines and Periodicals, etc

    Short Poem of EGC published in `Poetry, A Magazine of Verse'  (ed. Harriet Monroe) Chicago, Sept. 1915.) :  

     

    SELECT SOURCES FOR BOOKS BY EGC IN MAJOR SEARCH ENGINES,

    One should generally search these URLs under book title or `Elizabeth Gibson Cheyne' :

    WORLD CAT. [= W-Cat.]

    GOOGLE BOOKS (= GBks]

    ARCHIVE.ORG  [= A.Ord]

    An important link to PDFs etc. of EGC's poetry can also be found in the Public Library of India Website (within archive.org) several links to which are provided below (as well as select PDFs downloaded therefrom). 

    HAITI TRUST [= HT]

    Gibson, Elizabeth [Cheyne]

     

    ♦