Francis Quarles, poet

Romford is not generally known for its contribution to the cultural life of the country (and not without reason, it must be said). But, in fact, a number of writers, musicians, actors and other artists have come from the town.

One of the earliest was the poet Francis Quarles (1592-1644), who was born and raised at the manor of Stewards (a site now occupied by The Liberty shopping centre). His best known and most popular work, Emblems, was published in 1635, from which the following epigram is taken:

My soul, sit thou a patient looker-on;
Judge not the play before the play is done:
Her plot hath many changes; every day
Speaks a new scene; the last act crowns the play.
Today, some might know of Havering College’s Quarles campus (previously a school) in Harold Hill, but few will have heard of the 17th century poet after whom it was named.