John Masefield held the position of Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom for thirty-seven years, serving from 1930 until his death in 1967. Born in Ledbury, he transitioned from a maritime apprenticeship on HMS Conway to a literary career that spanned poetry, children's fiction, and narrative prose, ultimately earning him the prestigious Order of Merit.
Maritime Influences and Early Vagrancy
Masefield attended Warwick School between 1888 and 1891 before boarding HMS Conway to pursue a nautical career. His time at sea included a voyage to Chile in 1894 on the Gilcruix, an experience that later informed his 1913 narrative poem, Dauber. After returning to sea in 1895, he jumped ship in New York City, spending several months as a transient laborer. He eventually secured work at the Alexander Smith carpet factory in Yonkers, where he spent his wages building an extensive personal library of classical and modern literature.
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In 1902, Masefield oversaw the fine arts section of the Arts and Industrial Exhibition in Wolverhampton. That same year marked the publication of his inaugural verse collection, Salt-Water Ballads, which featured the poem Sea-Fever. He expanded his bibliography with novels such as Captain Margaret and Multitude and Solitude. His status as a public figure solidified in 1911 with the publication of The Everlasting Mercy, followed by The Widow in the Bye Street and Dauber. In 1912, he received the Edmond de Polignac Prize.
War Service and Prose Documentation
During the First World War, Masefield served briefly in 1915 at the Hôpital Temporaire d'Arc-en-Barrois in France. He subsequently conducted lecture tours in the United States, reporting on American perspectives regarding the European conflict to the British Foreign Office. These travels resulted in the publication of the book Gallipoli. He later authored The Old Front Line, which detailed the geography surrounding the Battle of the Somme after being denied access to official military records.
Family and Later Life
Masefield married Constance de la Cherois Crommelin in 1903. The couple had two children, Judith and Lewis, with the latter later killed in action in Africa during 1942. Masefield spent his final years residing in Burcot, near Abingdon-on-Thames. Following his death in 1967, he was interred at Poets' Corner. His works include the notable children's books The Midnight Folk and The Box of Delights.
Fast facts
- Born: 1878, Ledbury
- Died: 1967, Abingdon-on-Thames
- Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom: 1930-1967
- Educated: Warwick School
- Awards: Order of Merit
- Notable poems: Sea-Fever, The Everlasting Mercy
- Notable children's books: The Midnight Folk, The Box of Delights
Questions readers ask
What was Masefield's military role during the First World War?
He worked for six weeks at a British hospital for French soldiers in 1915 and later conducted lecture tours in the United States while gathering information on American sentiment regarding the war.
Where is John Masefield buried?
He is buried at Poets' Corner.
Achievements
- Order of Merit
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