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.
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.
Virtues - Sixth Sense
Edith Sitwell reads a book while blithely crossing a chasm on a bridge made o...
Other Subjects
D. H. Lawrence
Novelist and poet (also painter). Born Eastwood, Nottinghamshire. Died Vence, France. Novels include: Lady Chatterley's Lover, Sons and Lovers, Women in Love.
Ruth Rendell
Crime writer. Born Ruth Barbara Grasemann in South Woodford. She started work as a feature writer for the Chigwell Times, but was forced to resign after filing a story about a local sports club din...
White Hart Inn
Established in the medieval period and referenced by Shakespeare in 'Henry VI' and by Dickens in 'Pickwick Papers'. Not to be confused with the nearby White Hart at 22 Great Suffolk Street.
Henry Williamson Society
The Henry Williamson Society possesses a small archive, consisting chiefly of collections of letters from Henry Williamson that have been donated to it over a number of years.
Oliver Goldsmith
Author. Born Co. Longford, Ireland (though it could have been County Roscommon, and for his date of birth we have only his word). Arrived in London in 1760 and joined the literary group that inclu...
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