Philip Larkin

Philip Larkin was born on August 9, 1922 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. His parents were Sydney Larkin and Eva Emily Day. Philip was the only son and the younger child of the couple. His sister Catherine was ten years older than him. The family lived in Radford, Coventry until Philip was a toddler. When he reached the age of five, they moved to a three-storey house in Manor Road, near to Coventry railway station. Philip’s father was the Coventry City Treasurer and introduced his son to the works of Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, James Joyce and D. H. Lawrence. Young Larkin was educated at the home until the age of eight by his mother and sister. He was hardly ever visited by any friend at house, because of which he became a stammer. Later, Larkin joined the Coventry's King Henry VIII Junior School where he easily fitted in and made some of his close friends, James “Jim” Sutton, Colin Gunner and Noel “Josh” Hughes. He gradually progressed to King Henry VIII Senior School. Larkin passed the entrance exams for St John's College, Oxford and joined the Oxford University in October 1940. He tried to go in army but failed in military medical examination due to poor eye sight. In the university, he met Kingsley Amis, who remained his close friend throughout his life. Larkin passed his college exams in 1943 and received a first-class honors degree.

 

In 1943, Larkin was appointed librarian of the public library in Wellington, Shropshire. He met his first girlfriend, Ruth Bowman in the spring of 1944. In June 1946, while qualifying through for the membership of Library Association, he was appointed as the assistant librarian at University College, Leicester. His father died of cancer in March 1948. He was appointed sub-librarian at Queen's University Belfast in June 1950. In 1955, Larkin became the University Librarian at the University of Hull and held the position throughout his life. His remarkable achievements included computerization of records for the library stock, making it the first library in Europe to install a GEAC system, an automated online circulation system. In 1957, Larkin got a new secretary, Betty Mackereth who worked with him for his rest of life. Larkin played a crucial role in the creation of Hull University's new Brynmor Jones Library. In 1970, he started working on compiling a new anthology, “The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse”. From 1973 to 1974, Larkin became an Honorary Fellow of St John's College, Oxford and was awarded honorary degrees by Warwick, St Andrews and Sussex universities. He split with his girlfriend, Maeve Brennan in August 1973. Shortly afterwards, he made a public appearance with Monica Jones. In 1983, Jones was hospitalized with shingles which worried Larkin. Following her health problems, she moved to his Newland Park home, where she stayed for the rest of her life.

 

When Larkin was in Oxford University, he published his first poem, “Ultimatum” in The Listener. Under pseudonym, Brunette Coleman, he wrote two novellas, “Trouble at Willow Gables” and “Michaelmas Term at St Brides”. In 1945, Larkin published “The North Ship”, collection of poems written between 1942 and 1944. Larkin published his first novel, “Jill” in 1946. After finishing “Jill”, Larkin worked on the novel “A Girl in Winter”, which was published in 1947. In the year 1951, he compiled a poem collection with name, “XX Poems”, which was printed privately in just 100 copies. During his five year’s stay at in Belfast, Larkin matured as a poet. During this period, he made helped his friend Kingsley Amis significantly to write “Lucky Jim”. In November 1955, The Marvell Press published “The Less Deceived”. After a slow start, this book ended with being included in The Times' list of Books of the Year. The book’s reputation rocketed in the next two years. While working at “Hull”, his poetic productivity reduced drastically, producing around two and half poems a year. But during this period, he wrote some of his best known poems, “An Arundel Tomb”, “The Whitsun Weddings” and “Here”. Faber and Faber reissued “Jill” in 1963, including an introduction of Larkin and his activities at Oxford University. In 1964, he published “The Whitsun Weddings”. This book not only increased his reputation, but also granted him a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Literature. In 1970s, he wrote a series of long and sober poems, including the famous “The Building” and “The Old Fools”, which he later published in 1974 along with other poems in his poem collection, “High Windows”. This poem collection also included his other important poems such as, “This Be The Verse”, “The Explosion” and “Annus Mirabilis”. Later in the year, Larkin wrote his final major published poem, “Aubade” which was completed in 1977. It got published in the 23 December issue of The Times Literary Supplement.

 

In 1985, Larkin suffered from oesophageal cancer. He was admitted to the hospital and underwent a surgery on June 11, 1985, but the cancer had already attained inoperable status. He collapsed again in October and was re-admitted to the hospital. Larkin breathed his last on December 2, 1985 at the age of 63. He was buried at the Cottingham municipal cemetery near Hull.

1922: Born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

1940: Joined the Oxford University.

1943: Passed college exams, appointed librarian of the public library in Wellington, Shropshire.

1945: Published the poem collection, “The North Ship”.

1946: Was appointed as the assistant librarian at University College, Leicester; Published his first novel book, “Jill”.

1947: Published the novel A Girl in winter.

1948: His father died of cancer.

1950: Was appointed sub-librarian at Queen's University Belfast.

1951: Compiled a poem collection with name, “XX Poems”.

1955: Became the University Librarian at the University of Hull, the Marvell Press published The Less Deceived.

1964: Published “The Whitsun Weddings”.

1970: Started working on compiling a new anthology, “The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse”.

1974: Published his poem collection, “High Windows”

1985: Died at the age of 63.