John Betjeman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Betjeman
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Betjeman in 1961
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| Born | John Betjemann 28 August 1906 Parliament Hill Mansions, Lissenden Gardens, Gospel Oak, London, England |
| Died | 19 May 1984 (aged 77) Trebetherick, Cornwall, England |
| Occupation | Poet, writer, broadcaster |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Magdalen College, Oxford |
| Notable works | Poetry Mount Zion (1931) Prose Ghastly Good Taste (1933) |
Sir John Betjeman (28 August 1906 – 19 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack". He was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1972 until his death.
He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture. He began his career as a journalist and ended it as one of the most popular British Poets Laureate and a much-loved figure on British television.
Life
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Betjeman was born in Highgate, London. He studied at Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1933 he married Penelope Chetwode; they separated in the late 1940s. The couple's son was born in 1937, their daughter in 1942. Betjeman's partner from 1951 until his death was Lady Elizabeth Cavendish.
Betjeman died of Parkinson's disease in Trebetherick, Cornwall. He was replaced as Poet Laureate by Ted Hughes. Betjeman was also known as an architectural critic. He is buried at St Enodoc in Cornwall.
Awards and honours
- 1960 Queen's Medal for Poetry
- 1960 Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
- 1968 Companion of Literature, the Royal Society of Literature
- 1969 Knight Bachelor
- 1972 Poet Laureate
- 1973 Honorary Member, the American Academy of Arts and Letters
- 2011 Honoured by the University of Oxford, his alma mater, as one of its 100 most distinguished members from ten centuries
Images for kids
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The John Betjeman Centre Memorabilia Room showing the office from his home in Trebetherick
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Betjeman's house on Cloth Fair in the City of London
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John Betjeman's grave
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Betjeman Statue at St Pancras
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John Betjeman reads William Horton's Petition to Save Lewisham Town Hall 1961
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John Betjeman plaque in Connaught Gardens with one of his poems
