Person    | Male  Born 20/11/1752  Died 24/8/1770

Thomas Chatterton

Categories: Poetry

Poet and forger of pseudo-medieval poetry. Born Bristol. Largely self-taught, read extensively and began writing verse aged 11. Became besotted with the medieval period and faked the writings of a monk, Thomas Rowley (c.1400 - 1470) and claimed to have found them in amongst his late father's possessions. At 17 he moved to London and for four months continued publishing poetry, both in his own name and Rowley's, and was successful. However he was found dead from arsenic poisoning, aged just 17. This is now thought to have been due to an accidental overdose of medicine for venereal disease. The romantic myth of a starving poet's suicide in a garret, supported by Henry Wallis's painting, has taken a firm grip.
After his death more of 'Rowley's writings were published and the controversy about their authenticity began, involving many of the literary men of the age including Horace Walpole. Chatterton was eventually declared a genius and a forger.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Thomas Chatterton

Commemorated ati

Thomas Chatterton - first

In a house on this site Thomas Chatterton died August 24th 1770. Corporation...

Read More

Thomas Chatterton - second

Plaques are designed to be laid into brickwork, as this was on its first buil...

Read More

Other Subjects

Ernest Dowson

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.

Person, Poetry

2 memorials
Edward de Vere

Edward de Vere

17th Earl of Oxford. Possibly born at Castle Hedingham, Essex. He wrote poetry  and was a court favourite. Since the 1920s, he has been among the alternative candidates for the authorship of Shakes...

Person, Poetry

2 memorials
Leigh Hunt

Leigh Hunt

Poet. Born Southgate. Named 'James Henry Leigh Hunt' after the Duke of Chandos, James Henry Leigh, who was employing Hunt's father, a preacher, as tutor to his nephew at the time of Hunt's birth. F...

Person, Literature, Poetry

6 memorials
Grace Griffiths

Grace Griffiths

Her 1944 poem Doodlebugs was included in an audio compilation entitled 'The Best of Second World War Poetry' produced in 1993 and in the 1999 book 'Shadows of war : British women's poetry of the Se...

Person, Poetry

1 memorial
Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Poet. Born at Field Place, near Horsham in Sussex. Had a habit of eloping with and then marrying 16 or 17 year olds: first Harriet Westbrook. When she, pregnant, drowned herself in the Serpentine P...

Person, Poetry, Seriously Famous, Italy

6 memorials

Previously viewed

Victor Cavendish 9th Duke of Devonshire

Victor Cavendish 9th Duke of Devonshire

Born Marylebone. Died Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, his country seat.

Person, Armed Forces

1 memorial