Introduction

Welcome to the Alberta Vickridge Information site

This site, launched in 2012, offers an introduction to the life and work of Alberta Vickridge (1890-1963), one of Yorkshire’s neglected writers – but the only Yorkshire woman ever to be crowned as a Bard.

In her lifetime she had eleven books of her poetry published, won a Bard’s Crown and Bardic Chair at an Eisteddfod in 1924 for her extended poem, The Forsaken Princess, and ran her own printing company alone from the attic of her home, Beamsley House, in Frizinghall, near Bradford.

Her poetry – which once bested Wilfred Owen in a national competition – was admired and praised by J.B. Priestley, Wilfred Gibson and Agatha Christie, and for 30 years she edited and printed a literary magazine, The Jongleuer, with a national readership.

Yet few, even in her home city, have heard of her.

Alberta Vickridge on the doorstep of her home, Beamsley House, Frizinghall, Bradford (circa 1919/20)

Research into the life and work of Alberta Vickridge by Colin Neville, editor of this site (see External Links). 

Acknowledgement:  with sincere thanks to Henry Woledge, Alberta’s nephew, who was invaluable in providing family information and the photographs shown throughout this website.