Vernon Scannell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vernon Scannell
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Vernon Scannell
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| Born | John Vernon Bain 23 January 1922 Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England |
| Died | 16 November 2007 (aged 85) West Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | University of Leeds |
| Subject | Poetry, English |
| Spouse | Jo Higson (Painter) |
| Children | 6 |
Vernon Scannell (born John Vernon Bain) was a British poet and author. He was born on January 23, 1922, and passed away on November 16, 2007. Before becoming a famous writer, he was a professional boxer. He even wrote books about this sport!
Contents
Early Life and Passions
Vernon Scannell was born in a place called Spilsby, in Lincolnshire, England. His family often moved because they didn't have much money. They lived in many places, including Ireland, before settling in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
His father was a photographer who had fought in the First World War. Vernon went to Queen's Park Boys' School, an elementary school. He left school at 14 to work in an insurance office. But his true interests were boxing and reading. He was already winning boxing awards at school. He also loved reading from a young age. When he was about 15, he discovered poetry and was "instantly and permanently hooked." He enjoyed reading poems by Thomas Hardy and thrillers by Edgar Wallace.
A Poet's Journey Through War
In 1940, Vernon joined the army. He was part of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Later, he moved to the Gordon Highlanders, a part of the 51st Highland Division. He fought in the North African desert during World War II. He was at the famous Battle of El Alamein. He also fought as the Eighth Army moved towards Tunisia.
After a battle near Gabès, he saw things that upset him deeply. He decided to leave his unit. He was later caught and faced military charges. He spent some time in a military prison. But he was released to join the Normandy landings in France. His time in the war ended when he was shot in both legs near Caen. He was sent back to a military hospital.
Vernon never liked army life. After the war ended in Europe, he left the army again. For two years, he supported himself with different jobs. He worked in theatre, as a professional boxer, and as a tutor. During this time, he taught himself by reading everything he could. He also started writing poetry. His first poems were published in magazines like Tribune. He even boxed for Leeds University and won championships.
In 1947, he was arrested again. After being released, he returned to Leeds and then moved to London. He continued to support himself with teaching and boxing while focusing on his writing.
Writing and Awards
Vernon Scannell became a respected writer. He won many awards for his poetry. One of his collections, Walking Wounded, was especially recognized for its war poems. He believed that poetry should "harmonise the sadness of the universe." His own poems often explored themes of love, violence, and life's end. These ideas were shaped by his experiences during the war.
In 1975, he became a Resident Poet in Berinsfield, Oxfordshire. Later, in 1979, he was a Poet in Residence at the King's School, Canterbury. His last collection of poems, Last Post, came out in 2007, shortly before he passed away.
He married Josephine Higson, who was a painter. They had six children together.
Literary Recognition
Vernon Scannell received the Heinemann Award for Literature in 1961 for his poetry book The Masks of Love. He also won the Cholmondeley Award for poetry in 1974. He became a member of the Royal Society of Literature in 1960. In 1981, he received a special pension for his contributions to literature.
Famous poets admired his work. Stephen Spender once told him, "you write good poetry and that is all that matters." Seamus Heaney praised his poems for their strong rhythm and how they combined sharp wit with thoughts about life and death. Critic John Carey noted that Scannell's poems often worked on two levels. One was realistic, and the other was full of imagination and memories.
He also wrote the words for a BBC Television film called A House that Died. He received a special award from the Wilfred Owen Association for his important war poetry. His well-known book of war poems, Walking Wounded (1965), includes a powerful poem about soldiers returning from battle.
Stories and Memoirs
Vernon Scannell also wrote a memoir called The Tiger and the Rose (1983). A memoir is a book where someone tells stories from their own life. This book covers his five years in the military and his short career as a boxer. He wrote about leaving the army, calling it a "desperate decision" but also possibly an "eccentric courage."
He also wrote novels. One of his novels, The Fight (1953), has been used by historian Martin Johnes to understand how people thought about race in Britain in the 1950s. The book showed different reactions to a black boxer.
Later Years and Passing
Vernon Scannell spent his final years living in Otley, West Yorkshire. He passed away at his home on November 16, 2007, at the age of 85, after a long illness.
Selected Works
Vernon Scannell wrote many books of poetry, autobiography, and fiction.
Poetry Books
- Graves and Resurrections (1948)
- The Masks of Love (1960)
- Walking Wounded – Poems 1962–65 (1965)
- Selected Poems (1971)
- The Apple-Raid and Other Poems (1974)
- New & Collected Poems 1950–1980 (1980)
- The Clever Potato – A Feast of Poetry for Children (1988)
- Last Post (2007)
Autobiography Books
- The Tiger and the Rose (1972)
- A Proper Gentleman (1977)
- Drums of Morning – Growing up in the Thirties (1992)
Fiction Books
- The Fight (1953)
- The Big Chance (1960)
- Ring of Truth (1983)
