Dorothy Frances Blomfield Gurney (' Blomfield; 4 October 1858–15 June 1932) was a British hymn-writer and poet.

Biography

Known as Dora, she was the daughter of Frederick George Blomfield, Rector of

St Andrew Undershaft St Andrew Undershaft is a Church of England church (building), church in the City of London, the historic nucleus and modern financial centre of London. It is located on St Mary Axe, within the Aldgate ward, and is a rare example of a City church ...

in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

. She was a granddaughter of

Charles James Blomfield Charles James Blomfield (29 May 1786 – 5 August 1857) was a British divine and classicist, and a Church of England bishop for 32 years. Early life and education Charles James Blomfield was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, the eldest son (an ...

, who was

Bishop of London The bishop of London is the Ordinary (church officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. By custom the Bishop is also Dean of the Chapel Royal since 1723. The diocese covers of 17 boroughs o ...

from 1828 to 1856; niece to the architect

Sir Arthur Blomfield Sir Arthur William Blomfield (6 March 182930 October 1899) was an English architect. He became president of the Architectural Association in 1861; a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1867 and vice-president of the RIBA in ...

and

Alfred Blomfield The The Right Reverend, Right Reverend Alfred Blomfield Doctor of Divinity, D.D. (31 August 18335 November 1894) was an Anglican bishop in the last decades of the 19th century. Alfred was the youngest son of Charles James Blomfield, Bishop of Lo ...

, Bishop of Colchester from 1882 to 1894; and cousin of the geologist

Francis Arthur Bather Francis Arthur Bather FRS (17 February 1863, in Richmond upon Thames – 20 March 1934) was a British palaeontologist, geologist and malacologist. His mother, Lucy Elizabeth Blomfield, was a daughter of Charles Blomfield, Bishop of London. His ...

. She was described by ''This England'' magazine as a "shy, devout girl with an inner passion for nature hobegan writing short poems at an early age." She married the actor Gerald Gurney in 1897; he was the son of

Archer Thompson Gurney Archer Thompson Gurney (1820–1887) was a Church of England clergyman and hymnodist. Life Archer Gurney was born at Tregony in Cornwall on 15 July 1820. His father, Richard Gurney, was vice-warden of the stannaries of Devon. Archer Thompson Gur ...

(1820–1887), a

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

clergyman and hymnodist. In 1904 her husband was ordained a priest of the Church of England. In 1919 Dorothy and her husband joined the Roman Catholic Church.

Works

Gurney's ''Poems'' (London: Country Life, 1913) include "In God's Garden", "Moon Spell (or Dolly)" in 1882; "Shearing Day", "To the Immortals" and "Waggon Bells" in 1883; " Grandpapa's Wooing" in 1885; "Daffodil Time" in 1886; "Love's Service" in 1888; "When the gorse is all in blossom" in 1889; "Down here the lilacs fade" in 1893; and "North Country Songs" with Strang and Hadley in 1894. With reference to the words of the hymn " O Perfect Love", written in 1883 for the wedding of her sister in the

Lake District The Lake District, also known as ''the Lakes'' or ''Lakeland'', is a mountainous region and National parks of the United Kingdom, national park in Cumbria, North West England. It is famous for its landscape, including its lakes, coast, and mou ...

she quoted her sister as saying "What is the use of a sister who composes poetry if she cannot write new words to a favourite tune? I would like to use the tune at my wedding." Dora picked up a hymn book and said "If no-one will disturb me I will go in to the library and see what I can do". The tune in question was "Strength and Stay", composed in 1875 by

John Bacchus Dykes John Bacchus Dykes (10 March 1823 – 22 January 1876) was an English clergyman and hymnwriter. Early life He was born in Hull, England, the fifth child and third son of William Hey Dikes or Dykes, a ship builder, and Elizabeth, daughter of ...

. The words were subsequently set as an

anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to sho ...

, by

Joseph Barnby Sir Joseph Barnby (12 August 183828 January 1896) was an English composer and conductor. Life Barnby was born at York, as a son of Thomas Barnby, who was an organist. Joseph was a chorister at York Minster from the age of seven. His voice bro ...

, for the 1889 wedding of

Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are ...

and

Louise, Princess Royal Louise, Princess Royal (Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar; 20 February 1867 – 4 January 1931) was the third child and eldest daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom; she was a younger sister of King George V. Lou ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurney, Dorothy 1858 births 1932 deaths 19th-century British women writers 20th-century British women writers Blomfield family British women hymnwriters Church of England hymnwriters Converts to Roman Catholicism from Anglicanism English women poets English Roman Catholic hymnwriters People from the City of London