MINNIE LOUISE HASKINS

Born 12 May 1875 at Warmley, near Bristol. Resided Crowborough 1927 - 1957. Died Kent & Sussex Hospital 3 February 1957 (cancer).

The first two stanzas of her poem God Knows were read by King George VI towards the end of his 1939 Christmas Day broadcast. Her lines most aptly expressed the faith we must hold onto in adversity, and were particularly poignant following the outbreak of war in the September before.

In a dedicated life of many parts she had been a teacher; a women's social and industrial welfare worker in the East End slums of London; a missionary worker in India; a lecturer and professor of economics at the London School of Economics and, in between, a poet and novelist.

Minnie Haskins moved to Brooklands, Ghyll Road, Crowborough, in 1927 with her two sisters:

• Bessie (1884-1955), a qualified teacher who established Brooklands as a preparatory school for boys and girls, and was its principal until ill-health forced the sale of the school in April 1954.
• Edith (1885-1970), served as an army officer in WWI, then became a diplomat. After retirement she assisted Bessie in the school as an arts and crafts and drama teacher.

Minnie also assisted in the school whenever she could and after retirement. All three sisters were unmarried.

Their parents:

• Joseph Haskins (1842-1891), began his working life in his parents' grocery and drapers shop, while he also worked as a potter in the local Warmley Tower Potteries. He eventually became a manager of the business then, in 1889, he bought the company out and prospered.
• His wife, Louisa (1850-1914), was the daughter of a local brickworks manager.

They had nine children, one of whom died young. Joseph's success enabled him to provide a good education for all his children. Minnie, his eldest daughter, attended the Clarendon Collegiate School for Ladies. Later, she attended University College, Bristol (forerunner of Bristol University).

Minnie assisted her father, who was a leading Congregationalist locally and benefactor of the poor, as a Sunday school teacher and church social worker. Her teaching skills led her to support a Methodist group in the shuns of London's East End in 1903. There she became involved in the welfare of women factory workers. She was next recruited to missionary work in India. After WWI, she became an academic and lecturer at the LSE. Officially retired in 1939, she was however recalled to duty to help organise the welfare and training of women factory workers during WWII. Her experience led her to lecture in both the USA and Canada. She finally retired just before the close of WWII.

Author John Hackworth