Person    | Female  Born 7/9/1887  Died 9/12/1964

Dame Edith Sitwell

Poet and biographer. Born at Scarborough into the aristocracy. 6-foot tall, with elongated features she added to the effect with her exuberant flowing and ornate clothing. Her poetry was avant garde and concerned with musicality. Her performance of Façade in 1923 has been described as early white rap or like a "happening" from the 60s, and attracted the same response - bemusement. Noel Coward's review caused her to refuse to speak to him for 40 years. But she gradually gained respect and, when she and her brother Osbert toured America they were a great success, especially with the stars in Hollywood. She was early to promote the work of Dylan Thomas. In WW2 she contributed to the war effort by knitting clothes for friends in the forces, including Alec Guinness.
Died, unmarried at St Thomas's Hospital. Her nephew, Francis, was her literary executor.

There is a wonderful 1943 portrait of her by Wyndham Lewis.

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:
Dame Edith Sitwell

Commemorated ati

Edith Sitwell

English Heritage Dame Edith Sitwell, 1887 - 1964, poet lived here in Flat 42.

Read More

Virtues - Sixth Sense

Edith Sitwell reads a book while blithely crossing a chasm on a bridge made o...

Read More

Other Subjects

The (Literary) Club

The (Literary) Club

The (Literary) Club was founded in the Turk's Head Tavern, Gerrard Street, by Dr Samuel Johnson & Joshua Reynolds 1764. The members included: Goldsmith, Boswell, Burke, Reynolds, Garrick.

Group, Literature

1 memorial
Robert Graves

Robert Graves

Poet and novelist. Born Robert von Ranke Graves at Red Branch House, Lauriston Road, Wimbledon. Professor of English at Cairo and Professor of Poetry at Oxford. His early poetry included 'Over the ...

Person, Literature, Poetry, Egypt, Spain

1 memorial
Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie

Detective novelist and playwright.  Born in Torquay, into a well-off family, where a bust has been erected, as Agatha Miller.  Married Archie Christie in 1914.  In WW1 she trained and worked in a p...

Person, Cinema, Literature, Seriously Famous, TV & Radio

5 memorials
Joaquim Nabuco

Joaquim Nabuco

Writer and statesman. Born Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo in Recife, Brazil. In 1878 he began to fight against slavery through his political activity and writings. It was eventually aboli...

Person, Literature, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Brazil, USA

1 memorial
Sir Edmund Gosse

Sir Edmund Gosse

Born 13 Trafalgar Terrace (now 56 Mortimer Road), Hackney, son of Philip Gosse. Writer, best known for his book ‘Father and Son’ which is partly autobiographical and depicts the new generation free...

Person, Literature

2 memorials

Previously viewed

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
A. B. Cloutman

A. B. Cloutman

Philanthropist. Alfred Benjamin Cloutman (but always known as A. B.).  Born Bristol.  Began work as a junior assistant at Maple & Co and rose to become Governing Director, later Life Governor, ...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Frank Pick

Frank Pick

Pioneer of good design for London Transport. Born Lincolnshire. Click on the picture source web site for more information.

Person, Art, Industry

2 memorials