Frank Prewett
Encyclopedia
Frank James Prewett was a Canadian
poet, who spent most of his life in the United Kingdom
. He was a war poet
of World War I
, and was taken up by Siegfried Sassoon
. After a period of being lionised socially he led a mainly unsatisfactory life, suffering from bad health.
He was born near Mount Forest
, Ontario
and brought up on a farm near Kenilworth, Ontario. He hinted that he had an Iroquois
background on his mother's side; this was once accepted in his version, but has been questioned by later scholarship. In 1915 he left his studies at the University of Toronto
and enlisted as a private soldier in the Canadian Army. Later that he was offered a commission in the British Army
, in the Royal Field Artillery
. He served in France
, but was invalided out of the armed forces in 1917. It was at Craiglockhart War Hospital that he met Sassoon.
After the end of the war he was at Christ Church, Oxford
, having returned to Canada briefly but not settled there. Social introductions led him to become a firm friend of Lady Ottoline Morrell
. Sassoon was attracted to Prewett, whom he knew by the nickname, "Toronto", but Prewett did not return his feelings. He had an academic job from the mid-1920s to 1934 in an agricultural research institute. He married, but the marriage failed; on Sassoon's evidence he was a depression
sufferer.
His poetry was recognised by inclusion in the final Georgian Poetry
anthology and Oxford Poetry, and by publication by the Hogarth Press
; followed by a collection The Rural Scene in 1922. In the 1930s he was a BBC broadcaster and did editorial work. A historical novel set in Berkshire
in the times of Captain Swing
, The Chazzey Tragedy (1933), made little impact. He was married again, to Dorothy Pollard who was a colleague on the editorial staff of The Countryman magazine where he was working.
During World War II
he served in the RAF
, staying on in the Air Ministry until 1954. Retiring because of poor health, he farmed near Abingdon until his death in Inverness
.
Robert Graves
, a friend from Oxford days, edited his Collected Poems, published in 1964. A Selected Poems was published in 1987.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
poet, who spent most of his life in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He was a war poet
War poet
A War poet is a poet writing in time of and on the subject of war. The term, which is applied especially to those in military service during World War I, was documented as early as 1848 in reference to German revolutionary poet, Georg Herwegh.-Crimean War:...
of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and was taken up by Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon CBE MC was an English poet, author and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both described the horrors of the trenches, and satirised the patriotic pretensions of those who, in Sassoon's...
. After a period of being lionised socially he led a mainly unsatisfactory life, suffering from bad health.
He was born near Mount Forest
Mount Forest, Ontario
Mount Forest is an unincorporated community located on the junction of the 6 and the 89 in the township of Wellington North, Ontario. The town's motto is "High, Happy, Healthy", which can be seen on the water tower when approaching the town from the south....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and brought up on a farm near Kenilworth, Ontario. He hinted that he had an Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
background on his mother's side; this was once accepted in his version, but has been questioned by later scholarship. In 1915 he left his studies at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and enlisted as a private soldier in the Canadian Army. Later that he was offered a commission in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, in the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
. He served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, but was invalided out of the armed forces in 1917. It was at Craiglockhart War Hospital that he met Sassoon.
After the end of the war he was at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, having returned to Canada briefly but not settled there. Social introductions led him to become a firm friend of Lady Ottoline Morrell
Lady Ottoline Morrell
The Lady Ottoline Violet Anne Morrell was an English aristocrat and society hostess. Her patronage was influential in artistic and intellectual circles, where she befriended writers such as Aldous Huxley, Siegfried Sassoon, T. S. Eliot and D. H...
. Sassoon was attracted to Prewett, whom he knew by the nickname, "Toronto", but Prewett did not return his feelings. He had an academic job from the mid-1920s to 1934 in an agricultural research institute. He married, but the marriage failed; on Sassoon's evidence he was a depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
sufferer.
His poetry was recognised by inclusion in the final Georgian Poetry
Georgian Poetry
Georgian Poetry was the title of a series of anthologies showcasing the work of a school of English poetry that established itself during the early years of the reign of King George V of the United Kingdom....
anthology and Oxford Poetry, and by publication by the Hogarth Press
Hogarth Press
The Hogarth Press was founded in 1917 by Leonard Woolf and Virginia Woolf. It was named after their house in Richmond, in which they began hand-printing books....
; followed by a collection The Rural Scene in 1922. In the 1930s he was a BBC broadcaster and did editorial work. A historical novel set in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
in the times of Captain Swing
Captain Swing
Captain Swing was the name appended to some of the threatening letters during the rural English Swing Riots of 1830, when labourers rioted over the introduction of new threshing machines and the loss of their livelihoods...
, The Chazzey Tragedy (1933), made little impact. He was married again, to Dorothy Pollard who was a colleague on the editorial staff of The Countryman magazine where he was working.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, staying on in the Air Ministry until 1954. Retiring because of poor health, he farmed near Abingdon until his death in Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
.
Robert Graves
Robert Graves
Robert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...
, a friend from Oxford days, edited his Collected Poems, published in 1964. A Selected Poems was published in 1987.