Location: Cremated, ashes interred in the churchyard of St John the Baptist, Cockayne Hatley, Bedfordshire, England
Cause of Death: Tuberculosis
Photo taken by: julia and keld
Buy books by William Ernest Henley
While incarcerated on Robben Island prison, Nelson Mandela recited the poem Invictus
to other prisoners and was empowered by its message of self-mastery. The Finnish writer Hella Wuolijoki wrote in her memoirs that the poem also inspired and encouraged her during her incarceration in prison in Helsinki at the end of World War II.
to other prisoners and was empowered by its message of self-mastery. The Finnish writer Hella Wuolijoki wrote in her memoirs that the poem also inspired and encouraged her during her incarceration in prison in Helsinki at the end of World War II.
From the age of 12 Henley suffered from tuberculosis of the bone which resulted in the amputation of his left leg below the knee during 1868–69. According to Robert Louis Stevenson's letters, the idea for the character of Long John Silver was inspired by his real-life friend Henley.
His literary acquaintances also resulted in his sickly young daughter, Margaret Henley, being immortalised by J. M. Barrie in his children's classic Peter Pan. Unable to speak clearly, the young Margaret referred to her friend Barrie as her "fwendy-wendy", resulting in the use of the name Wendy, which was coined for the book. Margaret never read the book; she died on 11 February 1894 at the age of 5.
Comments