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
William Congreve
Playwright and poet. Born Yorkshire, died at the home of his friend, Edward Porter, in Surrey Street.
1 memorial
Edmund Spenser
Poet. Probably born in East or West Smithfield. Best known for the epic poem 'The Faerie Queene'. When Queen Elizabeth failed to arrange payment ("a reason") for a poem he wrote: I was promis'd ...
3 memorials
Francis Turner Palgrave
Poet & critic. Born Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Wrote hymns and compiled the "Golden Treasury of English Lyrics (1861)".Lived in Hampstead at one time (see our Samuel Sanders Teulon page). Died K...
1 memorial
Sir Henry Newbolt
Poet. Also: lawyer, novelist, playwright and magazine editor. Born Staffordshire. Famous for one poem: 'Vitai Lampada'. Written in 1897 this oh-so-British plea for war to be played in the same spir...
2 memorials
Nordahl Grieg
Norwegian poet, novelist, dramatist, journalist and political activist. Our Norwegian consultant, Johanne Elster Hanson, says that "Grieg adored England and spent many periods of his life here. He...
1 memorial
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