Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Here's a virtual movie of the WW1 Poem "The Day" virtually read by its author the Bath Railway Porter Poet Henry Chappell and published to much acclaim in the Daily Express Newspaper on the 22nd of August 1914. The Poem a rebuke to the Germans for starting The Great War was was further published as a popular postcard and wall poster that could be Widely found on display in homes and public buildings throughout the English speaking world during World War one.
Henry Chappell (1874 - 1937) – British poet
With thanks to Charles Booth on Twitter
Known as the Railway Porter Poet, Henry worked at Bath Railway Station.
Henry Lang Chappell was born in 1874 in London, where his father ran a shop. Henry Chappell’s family originally came from Cornwall and his Mother’s maiden name was Lang.
When war broke out, Henry wrote a poem entitled “The Day”, with which he achieved instant fame. However, this was “…no sudden miracle or lucky accident” - if you look at the other poems in Henry's collection, he was obviously a very prolific poet. "The Day" was published in the “Daily Express” on 22nd August 1914 and then as a broadside and postcard. In the Introduction to Henry Chappell’s collection, Sir Herbert Warren says the poem was “reprinted in every paper in America” soon reaching “Canada, The Cape and Australia”.
In 1894, Henry married Edith Elizabeth Hancock. By 1911, Henry and Edith were living at No. 18 Park Avenue, Bath, Somerset and they had two daughters - Nellie Elizabeth, b. 1896 and
Alma Rose Edith, b.1899.
According to Henry’s Great-Grandaughter, he gave the money he earned from that poem to the Red Cross. Poems by Henry Chappell were published in eight WW1 poetry anthologies.
Henry Chappell’s WW1 collection “The Day and other poems”, with an introduction by Sir Herbert Warren, was published by The Bodley Head in 1918 is available as a free down-loan on Archive: archive.org/details/dayandotherpoem00warrgoog/page/n9
Here's a virtual movie of the WW1 Poem "The Day" virtually read by its author the Bath Railway Porter Poet Henry Chappell and published to much acclaim in the Daily Express Newspaper on the 22nd of August 1914. The Poem a rebuke to the Germans for starting The Great War was was further published as a popular postcard and wall poster that could be Widely found on display in homes and public buildings throughout the English speaking world during World War one.
Henry Chappell (1874 - 1937) – British poet
With thanks to Charles Booth on Twitter
Known as the Railway Porter Poet, Henry worked at Bath Railway Station.
Henry Lang Chappell was born in 1874 in London, where his father ran a shop. Henry Chappell’s family originally came from Cornwall and his Mother’s maiden name was Lang.
When war broke out, Henry wrote a poem entitled “The Day”, with which he achieved instant fame. However, this was “…no sudden miracle or lucky accident” - if you look at the other poems in Henry's collection, he was obviously a very prolific poet. "The Day" was published in the “Daily Express” on 22nd August 1914 and then as a broadside and postcard. In the Introduction to Henry Chappell’s collection, Sir Herbert Warren says the poem was “reprinted in every paper in America” soon reaching “Canada, The Cape and Australia”.
In 1894, Henry married Edith Elizabeth Hancock. By 1911, Henry and Edith were living at No. 18 Park Avenue, Bath, Somerset and they had two daughters - Nellie Elizabeth, b. 1896 and
Alma Rose Edith, b.1899.
According to Henry’s Great-Grandaughter, he gave the money he earned from that poem to the Red Cross. Poems by Henry Chappell were published in eight WW1 poetry anthologies.
Henry Chappell’s WW1 collection “The Day and other poems”, with an introduction by Sir Herbert Warren, was published by The Bodley Head in 1918 is available as a free down-loan on Archive: archive.org/details/dayandotherpoem00warrgoog/page/n9
