John Reginald Lang-Hyde was born in 1899. His musical talent was recognised early, and he was educated privately with a focus on piano and composition. He had no desire for a public musical career, however, and came up to King's in 1924 to study law. After graduation he worked for a short time as a barrister. He soon enrolled to study composition under Sir Arthur Bliss, and throughout his life wrote more than 300 songs for voice and piano. The literary papers here were probably written between the two World Wars, some using the pseudonym 'Lewis Hyde'; he attempted to have them published in the 1950s, but without success.