Percy Hugh Beverley Lyon MC (1893–1986) was a 20th-century British poet and educator, a winner of the Newdigate Prize and headmaster of

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. Up ...

from 1931 to 1948.

Life

Lyon studied at

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title formerly claimed by University College, wh ...

, publishing a number of lyrics in '' Oxford Poetry'' between 1910 and 1914. He interrupted his studies during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, serving as a lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry and earning the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC i ...

. Taken prisoner, he was in Graudenz at the end of hostilities. Upon returning to Oxford after the war, Lyon won the Newdigate Prize in 1919 with his poem ''France'', although he was better known for his peace poem, "Now to be Still and Rest". In 1919 he also had a number of poems accepted for publication in ''Oxford Poetry'': "The Secret Playroom (Graudenz, 1918)", "The Song of Strength" and "The Deserted Garden". He went on to publish poetry in periodicals that included the ''

London Mercury ''The London Mercury'' was the name of several periodicals published in London from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The earliest was a newspaper that appeared during the Exclusion Bill crisis; it lasted only 56 issues (1682). (Earlier periodicals ...

'', '' The Oxford Magazine'', ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'', and the '' Westminster Gazette''. Lyon was father to three daughters, Jill, Barbara and the children's writer

Elinor Lyon Elinor Bruce Lyon (17 August 1921 – 28 May 2008) was an English children's author from a Scottish family background. Several of her novels are set on the Highland coast, others in Wales. They have been seen to feature "strong girls and sensitiv ...

. From 1926 to 1931 he was the rector of the Edinburgh Academy.Magnus Magnusson, 1974, ''The Clacken and the Slate'' Within a month of taking up the post, he proposed a redesign of the school cap and during his five years of his rectorship, he set up the Edinburgh Academy Stockbridge Club, a social club for boys in the district, persuaded the directors to install electric lighting throughout the school and himself directed the school's first Shakespeare production, ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

''. From 1931 to 1948 he was headmaster of Rugby School. While Headmaster, he was mentor and friend to

John Gillespie Magee, Jr. John Gillespie Magee Jr. (9 June 1922 – 11 December 1941) was a World War II Anglo-American Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot and war poet, most noted for penning the sonnet " High Flight". He was killed in an accidental mid-air coll ...

, author of the famous poem ''High Flight''. Magee also fell in love with Lyon's daughter Elinor. After serving as headmaster, Lyon opened the Public Schools Appointment Bureau to find jobs for ex-public school boys.

Publications

Collections

In 1918 he published a volume of poetry, ''Songs of Youth & War'', and in 1923 ''Turn Fortune''. In 1931 a selection of his verse was published as ''P. H. B. Lyon'' in the Augustan Books of Poetry series.

Other publications

*''The Shorter Herodotus, books I-V'', selected and arranged, with brief notes by P.H.B. Lyon, in the series Bell's shorter classics (London: G. Bell, 1924). *'' The Merchant of Venice'', edited, with an introduction and notes, by P. H. B. Lyon, for the New Eversley Shakespeare series (London: Ernest Benn, 1928; reprinted 1934, 1935). *''The Discovery of Poetry'' (London: Edward Arnold, 1930; reprinted 1931, 1935, 1947), "Primarily intended for use in schools, in those forms and classes where the more careful study of literature is for the first time attempted." *Foreword to Aleksander Kamiński's pseudonymous ''Stones for the Rampart: The Story of Two Lads in the Polish Underground Movement'' (London: Polish Boy Scouts' and Girl Guides' Association, 1945). *''The Bible as Literature'' (London:

Bible Reading Fellowship The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

, 1947). *''Happy Ever After?'' (London:

National Marriage Guidance Council Relate is a charity providing relationship support throughout the United Kingdom. Services include Relationship counseling, counselling for couples, families, young people and individuals, sex therapy, mediation and training courses. Relate als ...

, 1949).

Anthologized

Poems by Lyon were anthologized in the following collections: *''More Songs By the Fighting Men'' (Soldier Poets Second Series; London:

Erskine MacDonald Erskine (, sco, Erskin, gd, Arasgain) is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, situated in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the ...

Ltd., 1917) *''Valour & Vision: Poems of the War'' (1920) *''Selections from Modern Poets'', edited by

J. C. Squire Sir John Collings Squire (2 April 1884 – 20 December 1958) was a British writer, most notable as editor of the ''London Mercury'', a major literary magazine in the interwar period. He antagonised several eminent authors, but attracted a coterie ...

*''Later English Poems, 1901–1922'', edited by James Elgin Wetherell *''Up The Line To Death: The War Poets 1914–1918'', edited by Brian Gardner (1964)

References

External links

P. H. B. Lyon
at the

National Portrait Gallery (London) The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London housing a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. It was arguably the first national public gallery dedicated to portraits in the world when it ...

.
Index of contributors
to '' Oxford Poetry''
Now to Be Still and Rest
at oldpoetry.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Lyon, Percy Hugh Beverley 1893 births 1986 deaths Elinor Lyon 20th-century English poets British World War I poets Recipients of the Military Cross British Army personnel of World War I Durham Light Infantry officers Head Masters of Rugby School World War I prisoners of war held by Germany British World War I prisoners of war English male poets 20th-century English male writers