Collected Poems of Humphrey Moore by Humphrey John Moore
Humphrey Moore was born on 21 November 1913, the second of three sons. His father was HMI of Schools for Somerset. In this memoir, the author follows Moore's life, from his idyllic childhood discovering the delights and freedom of the countryside, to his love for and exploration of nature, music and poetry. A shy and sensitive boy, he did well at school, studying at Bradfield under R.D. Beloe - who became one of the heroes of his youth and his constant ideal of what a headmaster should be - and at Corpus Christi in Cambridge, where he studied biology. Moore first became a public school teacher at Dauntsey's and then worked in Shrewsbury. He later moved to Clayesmore School in Dorset where he was to teach for the rest of his life, until his early death in 1968. His educationalist assumptions and ideals touched many young boys lives. As a man in whose inner life both ecstasy and angst co-existed, his poetry was inspired by W.H. Auden, Rupert Brooke, A.E. Housman and Matthew Arnold. John Bridgen, who knew Moore personally, was left the collection of his work, including his unpublished poetry. From this and his own research and knowledge, he reveals the life of a poet and ardent educationalist who taught boys as his equals and friends.