Philip Larkin
Born 1922 · Age 103
English poet, novelist and librarian; major figure of post‑war British poetry, author of The Less Deceived, The Whitsun Weddings and High Windows; long-serving University Librarian at Hull.
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Life & Career Timeline
Home education until age 8
Educated at home by his mother and sister until the age of eight.
Joined King Henry VIII Junior School
Started at King Henry VIII Junior School and made long-standing friendships.
Sat School Certificate exam
Sits School Certificate at age 16 (performed poorly initially but remained at school).
Passed Oxford entrance exams
Earned distinctions in English and History and passed entrance exams for St John's College, Oxford to read English.
Matriculated at St John's College, Oxford
Began studies at Oxford University in October 1940; met contemporaries including Kingsley Amis.
First published poem in The Listener
First published poem, 'Ultimatum', appears in The Listener while at Oxford (approximate date during his Oxford years).
Appointed librarian, Wellington public library
Took his first professional library post in Wellington, Shropshire.
Graduated Oxford with First
Sat finals and was awarded a first-class honours degree in English Language and Literature (1943).
Met Ruth Bowman
Met his first girlfriend, Ruth Bowman, an academically ambitious schoolgirl.
Published The North Ship
First book of poetry, The North Ship, published (issued three months before his novel Jill).
Appointed assistant librarian, University College Leicester
By June 1946 he was halfway through qualifying for membership of the Library Association and appointed assistant librarian at Leicester.
A Girl in Winter published
Second novel A Girl in Winter published (completed earlier but published 1947).
Proposed to Ruth Bowman
Proposed to Ruth approximately six weeks after his father's death; couple holidayed in Hardy country that summer.
Father's death
Father Sydney Larkin died of cancer in March 1948.
Appointed sub-librarian, Queen's University Belfast
Appointed sub-librarian at Queen's University of Belfast in June and took up the post in September 1950.
Took up post at Queen's Belfast
Started duties at Queen's University of Belfast in September 1950; relationship with Ruth ended before departure.
Holidays with Monica Jones begin
From 1951 onward Larkin holidayed regularly with Monica Jones; their long relationship deeply influenced his life and work.
Privately printed XX Poems
Compiled and privately printed XX Poems in a run of 100 copies.
Included in PEN Anthology
Poems by Larkin included in a 1953 PEN Anthology alongside Amis and Conquest.
Kingsley Amis's Lucky Jim published (dedication)
Kingsley Amis published Lucky Jim (1954), a novel to which Larkin contributed advice; Amis dedicated the book to Larkin.
Appointed University Librarian, University of Hull
Became University Librarian at the University of Hull in 1955, a post he held until his death.
Published The Less Deceived
Collection The Less Deceived published by the Marvell Press (dated October but published November 1955); marked Larkin's emergence as a major poet.
The Less Deceived named in The Times Books of the Year
The Less Deceived included in The Times' list of Books of the Year (December 1955); sales grew significantly 1956–57.
Rented flat at 32 Pearson Park, Hull
In 1956 he rented a top-floor self-contained flat at 32 Pearson Park, overlooking the park; later associated with poems such as High Windows.
Betty Mackereth becomes secretary
Betty Mackereth became Larkin's secretary in 1957 and remained so until his death.
Jazz critic for The Daily Telegraph
Served as jazz critic for The Daily Telegraph from 1961 to 1971, writing 126 record-review columns later collected.
Romantic relationship with Maeve Brennan begins
Friendship with colleague Maeve Brennan became romantic in February 1961.
Criticism by A. Alvarez
A. Alvarez's 1962 anthology The New Poetry included criticism of Larkin (accusing him of 'gentility' and pastoralism), marking a notable critical controversy.
Reissue of Jill with new introduction
Faber and Faber reissued Jill in 1963 with a new long introduction by Larkin.
Begins learning to drive; buys Singer Gazelle
At Maeve Brennan's prompting Larkin learnt to drive and purchased his first car, a Singer Gazelle (c. early 1963).
Subject of Monitor TV programme
Featured in an edition of the arts TV programme Monitor, interviewed by John Betjeman (1964).
Published The Whitsun Weddings
The Whitsun Weddings (1964) brought Larkin wider prominence and led to a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Literature.
Reissue of The North Ship
The North Ship (juvenilia) was reissued in 1966.
Library named Brynmor Jones Library
Hull's new university library was named the Brynmor Jones Library in 1967 (building completed in two stages).
Offered OBE and declined
Offered the OBE in 1968, which he declined.
Completion of second phase of library
Second, larger phase of the Brynmor Jones Library was completed in 1969.
Begins work on Oxford anthology
In October 1970 Larkin began compiling The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse.
Visiting Fellowship at All Souls (two terms)
Awarded a Visiting Fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford (two terms) to consult Bodleian holdings while compiling the anthology.
Poem 'Going, Going' written
Wrote the widely quoted poem 'Going, Going' (1972), conveying Larkin's vision of the decline of the English countryside.
Published The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse
Edited and published the anthology in 1973; garnered both praise and controversy for selections.
Honorary Fellow and honorary degrees
Became an Honorary Fellow of St John's College, Oxford and received honorary degrees from Warwick, St Andrews and Sussex (1973–1974).
Split with Maeve Brennan
Split from Maeve Brennan in August 1973 (relationship had been significant during the early 1960s and after).
Published High Windows
Final major collection High Windows published in June 1974; sold over 20,000 copies in its first year.
Bought Newland Park house
Purchased a detached two-storey 1950s house at 105 Newland Park in June 1974 and moved there the same month.
Secret affair with Betty Mackereth begins
Approximately three weeks after March 1975 he initiated a secret affair with his secretary Betty Mackereth; she remained his secretary for 28 years.
Rekindled relationship with Maeve Brennan
Relationship with Maeve Brennan restarted in March 1975.
Guest on Desert Island Discs
Appeared on BBC Radio's Desert Island Discs as guest of Roy Plomley (1976).
Awarded Alfred Toepfer Foundation Shakespeare Prize
Received the Hamburg-based Alfred Toepfer Foundation's Shakespeare Prize in recognition of his life's work (1976).
Completed and published 'Aubade'
'Aubade', Larkin's final major poem, completed and published in the 23 December 1977 issue of The Times Literary Supplement.
Affair with Betty Mackereth ends
Affair with Betty Mackereth continued until March 1978; from then on Larkin and Monica Jones became a monogamous couple.
Library computerized with Geac system
Around ten years after the library's completion (i.e., c.1979) Larkin oversaw computerization of library records, installing a Geac automated circulation system, among the first in Europe.
Critical re-evaluation commentary
Neil Powell wrote in 1980 that Larkin was less highly regarded in academic circles than some peers, reflecting evolving critical debate.
Turned sixty — Larkin at Sixty
Sixtieth birthday marked by the essay collection Larkin at Sixty (edited by Anthony Thwaite) and two television programmes about him.
Monica Jones hospitalised; moves into his home
Monica Jones hospitalised with shingles; within a month she moved into Larkin's Newland Park home and lived there for the rest of her life.
Declined Poet Laureate
At John Betjeman's memorial service in July 1984 Larkin was asked to accept the post of Poet Laureate and declined.
Diaries destruction request carried out
Larkin's deathbed request that his diaries be destroyed was honored by Monica Jones and Betty Mackereth; Betty shredded and burned unread diaries.
Library stock and budget growth milestone
During Larkin's 30 years at Hull the library's stock sextupled and its budget rose from £4,500 to £448,500 (in real terms ~12-fold increase).
Will and papers controversy
His will was found contradictory regarding private papers; literary executors decided not to destroy certain manuscripts/papers.
All What Jazz published (collection of 1961–71 columns)
His jazz reviews and record columns for The Daily Telegraph (1961–71) were collected and published as All What Jazz: A Record Diary (1985).
Underwent surgery for oesophageal cancer
Had surgery on 11 June 1985; cancer found to have spread and was declared inoperable.
Collapsed and readmitted to hospital
Collapsed and was readmitted to hospital on 28 November 1985 as his condition worsened.
Death
Died on 2 December 1985; buried at Cottingham municipal cemetery near Hull.
Monica Jones's bequests after her death
Monica Jones died on 15 February 2001, leaving £1m split between St Paul's Cathedral, Hexham Abbey and Durham Cathedral, and another £1m to the National Trust - a posthumous legacy linked to Larkin's estate/household.
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