Philip Larkin

Philip Larkin (1922 – 85) was a major British poet famed for his “piquant mixture of lyricism and discontent” (Jean Hartley, Marvell Press).  Born in Coventry, he studied English at the University of Oxford, and worked as a librarian, most notably at the library of the University of Hull from 1955.  His collection of poetry, The North Ship (1945), The Less Deceived (1955), The Whitsun Weddings (1965) and High Windows (1974), established him as a leading and much-loved poet, despite his relatively slim output.  He was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1965 and offered – though he declined the offer – the post of Poet Laureate in 1984.