Albert Midlane
Encyclopedia
Albert Midlane was a British poet
who wrote several hundred hymn
s, most notably "There's a Friend for Little Children
".
Midlane was born in Carisbrooke
, a village in Newport
on the Isle of Wight
, into a large family. He was the youngest child of James Midlane (who died in October 1824) and Frances Lawes. His mother, Frances, was a Congregationalist
, and Midlane attended the church Sunday school
from a young age. He first became an ironmonger, and later a Sunday school teacher. At the age of 23 he joined the Plymouth Brethren
, but remained committed to Sunday school teaching and hymn writing. He was encouraged to start writing at a young age by his teacher, and he wrote his first hymn "Hark! in the presence of our God" in September 1842 while visiting Carisbrooke Castle
; it was published in Youth's Magazine in November 1842 under the name of "Little Albert". His first hymn which brought his eventual fame was "God bless our Sunday schools", written on 24 May 1844, and used the National Anthem
as its tune.
His most notable hymn, "There's a Friend for Little Children
", was written on 7 February 1859 and published in December 1859 in a book called Good News for the Little Ones. Its tune was composed by Sir John Stainer
, and is called "In Memoriam". It was composed for the hymn's appearance in a book entitled Hymns Ancient and Modern
, published in 1868. Midlane wrote over 700 hymns altogether, though none had the success that "There's a Friend for Little Children" did; it has been translated into around a dozen languages. He later published several of his own hymn books, including Jewish Children's Hymn Book, Bright Blue Sky Hymn Book, Gospel Echoes Hymn Book and The Gospel Hall Hymn Book, each of which contained hundreds of his hymns.
Midlane married Miriam Grainger on 20 March 1851 and they had three children, two sons and one daughter. He never accepted any money for his writing, and as such became bankrupt. Generosity from his fans meant that this was later revoked. He died of a seizure
at his home of Forest Villa on South Mall, Newport, Isle of Wight on 28 February 1909, aged 84.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who wrote several hundred hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s, most notably "There's a Friend for Little Children
There's a Friend for Little Children
"There's a Friend for Little Children" is a hymn written by Albert Midlane. It was written on the evening of 7 February 1859, and was known as "Above the Bright Blue Sky" before it was published. It first appeared in a book entitled Good News for the Little Ones in December 1859...
".
Midlane was born in Carisbrooke
Carisbrooke
Carisbrooke is a village on the south western outskirts of Newport, Isle of Wight. It is best known as the site of Carisbrooke Castle. It also has a medieval parish church. St. Mary's Church , began life as part of a Benedictine priory, established by French monks about 1150...
, a village in Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, into a large family. He was the youngest child of James Midlane (who died in October 1824) and Frances Lawes. His mother, Frances, was a Congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, and Midlane attended the church Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
from a young age. He first became an ironmonger, and later a Sunday school teacher. At the age of 23 he joined the Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
, but remained committed to Sunday school teaching and hymn writing. He was encouraged to start writing at a young age by his teacher, and he wrote his first hymn "Hark! in the presence of our God" in September 1842 while visiting Carisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle is a historic motte-and-bailey castle located in the village of Carisbrooke, near Newport, Isle of Wight, England. Charles I was imprisoned at the castle in the months prior to his trial.-Early history:...
; it was published in Youth's Magazine in November 1842 under the name of "Little Albert". His first hymn which brought his eventual fame was "God bless our Sunday schools", written on 24 May 1844, and used the National Anthem
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
as its tune.
His most notable hymn, "There's a Friend for Little Children
There's a Friend for Little Children
"There's a Friend for Little Children" is a hymn written by Albert Midlane. It was written on the evening of 7 February 1859, and was known as "Above the Bright Blue Sky" before it was published. It first appeared in a book entitled Good News for the Little Ones in December 1859...
", was written on 7 February 1859 and published in December 1859 in a book called Good News for the Little Ones. Its tune was composed by Sir John Stainer
John Stainer
Sir John Stainer was an English composer and organist whose music, though not generally much performed today , was very popular during his lifetime...
, and is called "In Memoriam". It was composed for the hymn's appearance in a book entitled Hymns Ancient and Modern
Hymns Ancient and Modern
Hymns Ancient and Modern was a hymnal in common use within the Church of England. Over the years it has grown into a large family of hymnals....
, published in 1868. Midlane wrote over 700 hymns altogether, though none had the success that "There's a Friend for Little Children" did; it has been translated into around a dozen languages. He later published several of his own hymn books, including Jewish Children's Hymn Book, Bright Blue Sky Hymn Book, Gospel Echoes Hymn Book and The Gospel Hall Hymn Book, each of which contained hundreds of his hymns.
Midlane married Miriam Grainger on 20 March 1851 and they had three children, two sons and one daughter. He never accepted any money for his writing, and as such became bankrupt. Generosity from his fans meant that this was later revoked. He died of a seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
at his home of Forest Villa on South Mall, Newport, Isle of Wight on 28 February 1909, aged 84.