A Life in Poetry

Maurice Hamer, my father, on the face of it, was just an ordinary man from a humble, working-class Yorkshire industrial background. He was brought up in the old, traditional values of honesty and hard work, and was a devout Christian and stalwart of St. John the Evangelist's Church in Newsome, Huddersfield.

However, as his long life unfolded it turned out that he was far from 'ordinary' in many ways. He was an accomplished singer, pianist, gardener, crown green bowler and as it transpired... poet. He was also a recipient of the Queen's Maundy Money in 2005 for his services to his church and community.

Upon sorting through his personal effects in April 2016, immediately following his death at the age of 90, we discovered a hoard of previously unseen poems. Although we knew that he had written and had published, at least two poems, he had certainly kept a secret of the full extent of his 'scribblings.'

This book is a compilation of all the various poems and bits of prose that were found amongst his possessions and are presented herewith as a tribute to his life and the positive impact he had upon so many people as he passed through this 'mortal coil.'

I know he would have been proud to have been a published poet in his own lifetime and although that is now impossible, perhaps being a posthumously published poet is a good second-best?

All the proceeds of this book are to be donated to St. John the Evangelist's Church in Newsome. It is no less than what he would have wanted - and I am pleased to have been able to facilitate that for him.