Thomas Gordon Hake
Thomas Gordon Hake was an English physician and poet, born on March 10, 1809, in Leeds. After the death of his father when he was just three years old, Hake was educated at Christ's Hospital in London. He published his first poetry collection, "Poetic Lucubrations," in 1828 and later earned his medical degree from the University of Glasgow in 1831. Hake practiced medicine in several locations, including Brighton and Bury St. Edmunds, and authored scientific works on medical topics such as varicose capillaries.
In addition to his medical career, Hake maintained a passion for poetry, releasing several collections throughout his life, with notable works including "The World's Epitaph" in 1866 and "The New Day: Sonnets" in 1890. His friendship with poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti significantly influenced his later dedication to writing. Hake published his autobiography, "Memoirs of Eighty Years," in 1892, reflecting on his extensive life experiences. He continued to write poetry into his later years, showcasing a commitment to his craft despite personal challenges, and passed away on January 11, 1895. While not widely recognized as a major poet, Hake's ability to evolve his poetic voice over time remains noteworthy.
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Thomas Gordon Hake
Writer
- Born: March 10, 1809
- Birthplace: Leeds, Yorkshire, England
- Died: January 11, 1895
Biography
Thomas Gordon Hake was born March 10, 1809, at Leeds. Three years later, his father died. His mother was the daughter of Captain William Augustus Gordon. He received his early schooling at Christ’s Hospital in London. In 1828, his first collection of poetry, Poetic Lucubrations: Containing the Misanthrope, and Other Effusions, was published. He attended medical school at the University of Glasgow, receiving his M.D. in 1831.
After graduation, Hake visited medical schools in Florence and Paris for a year and then returned to England, practicing medicine in Brighton for five years. He then traveled to Paris in order to study anatomy. In 1839, he moved to Bury St. Edmunds, where he worked as a physician at the County Hospital of Suffolk. At Bury St. Edmunds, he became friends with George Borrow, a novelist. After traveling to the United States and Canada, he spent five years as a physician at West London Hospital. As a physician, Hake wrote scientific articles and two scientific books: A Treatise on Varicose Capillaries, published in 1839, and On Vital Force: Its Pulmonic Origin, and the General Laws of Its Metamorphosis, published in 1867.
Hake published his second collection of poems, The World’s Epitaph: A Poem, in 1866. In 1869, he met Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who encouraged him to dedicate himself to poetry. Hake moved to St. John’s Wood in London and spent his time writing poetry and traveling in Germany and Italy. In 1872, Rossetti, who was suffering from severe depression, took up residence in Hake’s home. Hake’s son, George, served as Rossetti’s secretary and companion.
Over the next two decades, Hake published eight collections of poetry, including The New Day: Sonnets, a collection of sonnets published in 1890, when he was eighty-one. He published his autobiography, Memoirs of Eighty Years, in 1892. Following a hip injury, Hake was confined to his home during the final fours years of his life. He died on January 11, 1895. Although not recognized as a great poet, Thomas Gordon Hake was distinguished by his rare ability to develop his poetic talent into old age.