Cos. Tyrone, Donegal, Londonderry & Fermanagh Ireland Genealogy Research

Official Website of the CoTyroneIreland.com Mailing List

Cecil Frances Alexander (nee Humphreys), County Londonderry 1818-1895: Hymn Writer

Courtesy of Monreagh Heritage Centre
Compiled by
Jim McKane, Kitchener, Ontario
jamckane@gmail.com

Although the celebrated hymn-writer and poetess was born in Dublin, Cecil Frances Humphreys spent the greater part of her life in north-west Ulster in the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe. By the 1840s she was already known as a hymn writer and her compositions were appearing in Church of Ireland hymnals. In October 1850 she married William Alexander, an Anglican clergyman, who subsequently became Bishop of Derry (1867) and Archbishop of Armagh (1896). Many of her hymns – including ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’, ‘There is a Green Hill Far Away’ and ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ – remain popular throughout the world.

 

CoTyroneIreland.com uses cookies to: analyze usage so that we can improve our service; allow our advertisers to provide content of specific interest to each user; monitor usage of our service; detect, prevent and address technical issues; allow you to participate in interactive features of our service when you choose to do so and to provide and maintain our service.

Google uses cookies to help serve the ads it displays on the websites of its partners, such as websites displaying Google ads or participating in Google certified ad networks. When users visit a Google partner's website, a cookie may be dropped on that end user's browser.

For further details, please see our Privacy Policy