With thanks to AC Benus* who found the collection “The Temple of Friendship and other poems” by Vincent Benson (Blackwell, Oxford, 1903) and sent me some of the poems. Having read the poems, I had to research Vincent. Although the poems quoted here were written between 1901 and 1903, I feel they are relevant to the First World War. Did he write any poems during the First World War? We may never know. If anyone has a photograph or further information about Vincent, please get in touch.
Born Vincent Hughes Bernard Benson on 4th July 1883 in Leppington, Shropshire, UK, where his father, Alexander Benson, an Anglican church minister, was the Vicar, Vincent was baptised on 12th August of that year. His mother was Elizabeth Benson, nee Booth. Vincent’s siblings were Mary Anna, b. 1866, Stanley, b. 1870, Sidney, b. 1972, Douglas, b. 1874, Ernest, b. 1876 and Irene T., b. 1888.
Educated at St John's Foundation School in Epsom, Surrey, Vincent went on to study at New College, Oxford University, where he was an Open Scholar and in the same year as Arthur Melland Asquith, a son of Herbert Asquith. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham, New College is one of the oldest colleges at Oxford University and was the first to admit undergraduate students.
On 17th December 1912, Vincent married Mariette Dinah Michlewitz (1888 – 1970), a schoolteacher who was born in Paris, France on 31st July 1887. Their children were Hector Eugene Benson (1913 – 1997), Madeleine Elizabeth Benson born on 4th November 1918 in Blythborough, Suffolk and Stanley Bernard Benson (1922 – 1996).
In 1921 Vincent, Mariette and Elizabeth were living in Blythborough, Suffolk and Vincent described himself on the 1921 Census return as a “Photographic Artist”. According to various notices in the London Gazette, Vincent seems to have run several schools in East Anglia. Described as “school proprietor and private tutor residing at “Holm View”, High Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk, Vincent was formerly at Marina Corner, Lowestoft and Falstaff House, Regent Street, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Registered to vote in East Anglia until 1928, by 1930, Vincent was living and working in Plymouth, Devonshire. The newspaper “Western Morning News” of 3rd January 1931, has an advertisement for Vincent Benson, MA – living at Montrose House, Houndiscombe Road, Plymouth and running Western Commercial Secretarial and Coaching College with the aim of coaching Public Schoolboys who are behind in their term’s work. Owner M.A. Benson (was that his sister Mary Ann I wonder?), Business Manager Vincent Benson.
Vincent lists his career details:
“Four years Chief of Interpreting Staff, British Industrial Fair, Birmingham. Sometime Classic and Modern Language Master Charterhouse School, Godalming and other Public Schools. Author of “Pitman’s Shorthand Adapted to German”. The Secretarial side of the business offered courses in Shorthand, Typing, Bookkeeping, Advertising and Salesmanship and three Modern Languages. The business also offered translation “from and into All Modern Languages. Scholarly and technical workmanship.”
It seems the marriage did not last because Mariette went to live in America and Vincent married Emily C. Johnson in Plymouth in September 1933. They were registered as living in Ealing in 1939. Madeleine Benson married James Oswald Gainford in 1941 and the couple seem to have gone to live in America, for Madeleine died in Orange, California in 1974. Her mother, Mariette also died in America.
In 1939, Vincent and Emily were living in Ealing, London and Vincent described himself as a “Public School Master and Examiner in Foreign Languages.
Vincent died in the second quarter of 1945.
Two poems written by Vincent from “The Temple of Friendship and other poems” by Vincent Benson (Blackwell, Oxford, 1903), about which in the Preface to the collection, Vincent said:
“ … Without attempting excuse for the faults that must be found, the author presents these poems with a cherished hope that there will be those, however few, who will find here something true, something beautiful, something worthy of that high and unceasing purpose for which they were written.” According to the Preface written by Vincent, the poems were written over two years while he was at New College, Oxford University.
“Whom the Gods Love”
Cover him, bright as ever
The winter roses bloom;
Lay out their younger fellow
Within the darkened room.
Bring just that sprig of heather,
A breath from his wild hill!
Lay sword and spur beside him
And leave the brave boy still.
The freshening morn of April
Unclasped him with a sigh;
The eve of torn November,
Received him home to die.
He left with life to venture,
His face in smiles was set.
He came with life behind him,
The smile is living yet.
He would not feel his sorrows,
But for another’s grieve.
Upon so bright a picture
Earth dare no sorrow leave.
Bring down his hand entwining
That ruffled ring of hair.
Call in his faithful sentry
And leave him sleeping there.
from Vincent's collection “The Temple of Friendship and other poems” pp. 76-77
https://archive.org/details/templeoffriendsh00bensiala/page/76/mode/2up
“The Officer’s Grave”
Lay the earth light above him,
And volley the last salute:
And let who knew him love him,
And who knew not, be mute.
With arms reversed, unweeping,
We soldiers turn away;
And leave the strong man sleeping,
Who missed his call today.
We shall not find a brother
We e’er shall love so true;
‘Tis long before another
Will love the men he knew
So kindly, firmly, knighting
Us peers, himself above:
Who won his medals fighting,
But won his men by love.
“The Officer’s Grave” from Vincent Benson’s collection “Temple of Friendship”, p. 83
https://archive.org/details/templeoffriendsh00bensiala/page/82/mode/2up
* Poet, writer and translator AC Benus is the author of “The Thousandth Regiment: A Translation of and Commentary on Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele’s War Poems” by AC Benus (AC Benus, San Francisco, 2020) includes original poems ISBN: 978-1657220584 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1657220583
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| Book Cover: Mark Basarab |
Sources: Find my Past, Free BMD and
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1030/?name=Yetto_Michlewitzhttps://www.ancestry.com.au/search/categories/42/?name=Vivian_Bentzen&birth=1918&death=1974https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=BL%2F0000329%2F19310103%2F136%2F0001&transcriptid=BL_0000329_19310103_136_129https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.125337/page/n9/mode/2up
