Meynell, Wilfrid (1852-1948)

English poet, essayist, and journalist. He edited periodicals and wrote stories, verse, and articles, sometimes under his own name and sometimes as ‘John Oldcastle’, ‘Francis Phillimore’, or anonymously. He discovered the poet Francis Thompson, who for 19 years was an adopted son in the Meynell household. He was married to Alice Meynell.

His works include The Man Disraeli 1903, Verses and Reverses 1912, Aunt Sarah and the War 1914, Rhymes With Reasons 1918, and Come and See 1919.

He was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. With his wife, he published The Pen, a short-lived critical monthly review, while a more significant joint venture was Merry England. Meynell left the Society of Friends for the Roman Catholic Church and edited The Register, which he conducted according to a home rule and ‘Young England’ policy.