Cecil Frances Alexander
Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander was an Irish hymn-writer and poet.
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still He calls ...
Cecil was born in April 1818, Dublin, the daughter of Major John Humphreys and Elizabeth (née Reed). She married William Alexander in October 1850 (who was 6 years her junior) They lived in Strabane and had four children. William was appointed Church of Ireland bishop of Derry in 1867 and later became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. He also wrote books of poetry.
Cecil began writing verse in her childhood; she wrote seven books of poetry and many hymns. Several of her hymns are still well known, for example, All Things Bright and Beautiful, Once in Royal David’s City and Jesus Calls Us. She also created a metrical version of St. Patrick’s “Lorica”
Cecil was was involved with the Derry Home for Fallen Women and with the development of a district nurses service; indefatigable visitor to poor and sick, and she founded a school for the deaf in Derry together with her sister. Cecil died in Derry on October 12th, 1895