The Story Behind 'The Boy in the Train'

[Helen Ramsay]

As promised to John J Armstrong.

These excerpts are taken from an article by Dr John Thomson
which was published in the University of Edinburgh Journal in
June 1982.

'M.C.S., Mrs George Smith was the daughter of the Reverend
Andrew Edgar, D.D. of Mauchline: and she was born in the
parish of Tongland, which is in the Stewartry, in the year 1869.'
There were 'four children, of whom the only girl was Mary
Campbell Edgar, the authoress of this poem: his second child,
she was born on 3rd January 1869.'

In 1892, George Smith was an assistant master at Rugby.

'While there, in 1895 he married Mary Campbell Edgar whose
father had died five years previously. In 1898 he was appointed
headmaster of Merchiston Castle School and the scene was
set for the production of "The Boy in the Train".

During his tenure of office at Merchiston, George Smith and his
family tended to spend the easter vacations at Elie in Fife.
Naturally they travelled by train. On one such occasion there was
in the compartment a somewhat garrulous boy. The remarks he
made during his stay in the compartment were the origin of the
poem.'

'though Mrs Smith wrote verse, she wrote only for pleasure and
private entertainment.' 'Some of the Merchiston Castle
schoolboys decided to make a magazine for themselves. They
called it "The Total Eclipse". For this magazine, they called
on the headmaster's wife for a contribution, and she responded
with, "The Boy in the Train".'

'Only one other of her poems has been published. It is "Miss
Mirren McKie," and along with "The Boy in the Train" is in "A
Book of Twentieth Century Scots Verse" published by Gowans
& Gray Ltd., of London and Glasgow.'

So now you know John ;-)

Cheers,

Helen

You don't stop laughing because you grow old;
you grow old because you stop laughing.

[Helen Ramsay]

Emailed.

"John Crighton" <jcri...@sia.net.au> wrote in message
news:38d447d8...@news.connect.com.au...
> Hello Helen,
> I do not know if you posted or someone else posted
> the words to "The boy on the train."
> I may not have received all the messages.
> So, could you please post the words again, for me.
> Sorry to be such a pain coming in at the end
> of a thread.
>
> I remember back in the 1950's being strapped
> for not learning this poem. I hated it.
> Now, I am asking you for the words. Weird, isn't it!
> There must be some sort of Freudian explanation
> for this desire.
>
> Regards,
> John Crighton

[John Crighton]

Hello Helen,
I do not know if you posted or someone else posted
the words to "The boy on the train."
I may not have received all the messages.
So, could you please post the words again, for me.
Sorry to be such a pain coming in at the end
of a thread.

I remember back in the 1950's being strapped
for not learning this poem. I hated it.
Now, I am asking you for the words. Weird, isn't it!
There must be some sort of Freudian explanation
for this desire.

Regards,
John Crighton