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
Laurence Binyon
Poet. Born Lancaster. Worked at the British Museum and become expert in Chinese and Japanese art. Wrote 'For the Fallen' in 1914. Red Cross volunteer at the Western Front in WW1. Died in a nur...
Ernest Dowson
Poet. Born Kent. A member of The Rhymers' Club. At the end of his life he was impoverished and was looked after by Robert Sherard at his house at 26 Sandhurst Gardens, Catford, where he died.
Austin Dobson
Poet and essayist. Born Henry Austin Dobson at Plymouth, Devon. He spent his entire working life at the Board of Trade. His first poems were published in 1868. In 1876 he and a group of other poets...
Rhymers' Club
The Rhymers' Club met at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese where they read their poems aloud, criticised each other's work and published together. Members included: Yeats, Arthur Symons, Richard Le Gallien...