Flower, Robin Ernest William

(1881-1946)

   Born in Leeds of Irish descent and educated at Leeds Grammar School, he entered Pembroke College, Oxford, as a classical scholar in 1900 and was appointed to the British Museum in the department of manuscripts in 1906. He studied Irish and worked in Ireland with the Norwegian philologist Professor Carl J.S. Marstrander, absorbing the Irish language and traditions. He completed the catalogue of Irish manuscripts, started by Standish Hayes O'Grady, for the British Museum in 1926; it was a work of the great importance. From 1939 he was in charge of the British Museum manuscripts at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. He lectured in Celtic at University College, London, and at Yale and other American universities. He received the honorary degrees of D.Litt. Celt. from the National University of Ireland (1927), and D.Litt. from Dublin (1937). He was appointed commander of the British Empire in 1945. He died in London. Some of his publications: The Islandman, 1934 (a translation of Tomás Ó Crohan's autobiography). The Western Island, 1944. The Irish Tradition, 1947. Some of his poems: "Pangur Ban," "Say Not That Beauty," "Troy."

   Sources: Anglo-Saxonists-20th Century (http://www.u.arizona.edu/Flower, Robin Ernest Williamctb/20ef.html\#rflower). Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. Seven Centuries of Poetry: Chaucer to Dylan Thomas. A.N. Jeffares, ed. Longmans, Green, 1955. The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry, Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The Triumphant Cat. Walter Payne, ed. Carrol and Graf, 1993.