Poet and critic. Born near Goole, Yorkshire. Considered a great English critic, his best-known work is his first publication "Seven Types of Ambiguity" 1930. Married Hetta in 1941 and had two sons, but was probably bisexual and an alcoholic. Spent a lot of his married life away from the London home, in Sheffield where he was chair of English literature at the university. Died at home, Studio House, 1 Hampstead Hill Gardens. (Did you notice how we managed not to mention the beard?)
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Sir William Empson
Commemorated ati
Sir William Empson
Unveiled by Sir Williams’ son, Jake Empson. At no 71 Empson lived in the the...
Other Subjects
Ezra Pound
Poet. Born Idaho, USA. Had a close relationship with Hilda Doolittle whom he met at university. She followed him to London and with others they developed the Imagism poetry movement. Pound wa...
Paul Verlaine
French poet. Born Metz, France. Has been described as an ugly, homicidal alcoholic. He effectively eloped from his own marriage to live with Rimbaud. Following his imprisonment for attempted murder...
Coventry Patmore
Poet and critic. Born at Woodford, Essex. Died Lymington. Web sites giving his poetry are numerous.
Hugo Manning
Poet. Born as Lazarus Perkoff at "123 Oxford Street in Mile End Road" according to UCL Archives. His parents were Polish Jews so we believe the Mile End bit. Spent 1938 - 43 in Argentina. On h...