John Betjeman

NAME: John Betjeman

WHAT FAMOUS FOR: English poet, writer, and broadcaster known for his nostalgic and humorous verse, as well as his championing of Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

BIRTH: August 28, 1906, in Hampstead, London, England.

FAMILY BACKGROUND: Born to Ernest Betjeman, a cabinet maker, and Mabel Dawson. They had a family firm at 34–42 Pentonville Road which manufactured the kind of ornamental household furniture and gadgets distinctive to Victorians. John Betjeman grew up in a middle-class family with strong connections to the arts.

CHILDHOOD: Betjeman spent his early years in Highgate, a suburb of London, where he developed a deep love for the English countryside and a fascination with architecture.

EDUCATION: Educated at Dragon School in Oxford and then Marlborough College in Wiltshire, where his passion for literature and poetry began to flourish.

Betjeman entered the University of Oxford with difficulty, having failed the mathematics portion of the university's matriculation exam. He was, however, admitted as a commoner at Magdalen College and entered the newly created School of English Language and Literature. 

Betjeman arrived at Oxford clutching his teddy bear, which he’d named Archibald Ormsby-Gore — inspiring fellow student Evelyn Waugh to give his character Sebastian Flyte a teddy in Brideshead Revisited. 

At Oxford, Betjeman’s tutor, a young C. S. Lewis, regarded him as an "idle prig" and in turn he considered Lewis unfriendly, demanding and uninspiring. he left without a degree — a failure which always rankled him.

CAREER RECORD: Betjeman began his career as a journalist and later worked as a film critic before gaining recognition as a poet with his first collection, Mount Zion, published in 1933. He went on to publish numerous volumes of poetry, essays, and travel writing.

APPEARANCE: Betjeman was known for his distinctive appearance, often described as rumpled and eccentric, with unruly hair and thick glasses.

FASHION: Betjeman favored tweed suits and bow ties, embodying a quintessentially English, slightly eccentric style.

Betjeman in 1961

CHARACTER: He was characterized as witty, charming, and somewhat melancholic, with a deep sensitivity to the passage of time and the loss of England's architectural heritage. Some critics considered him elitist

SENSE OF HUMOUR: Self-deprecating and playful: Betjeman was known for his ability to laugh at himself and the world around him. His poems often contain wry observations and witty remarks. Betjeman cleverly used satire to poke fun at social trends and cultural changes he found pretentious or inauthentic.

RELATIONSHIPS: Betjeman married Penelope Chetwode, the daughter of Field Marshal Lord Chetwode, on July 29, 1933. The couple lived in Berkshire and had a son, Paul, in 1937, and a daughter, Candida, in 1942.

Penelope provided support and inspiration for much of Betjeman's work but later the couple drifted apart and in 1972 the couple were separated.

In 1951 Betjeman met Lady Elizabeth Cavendish, with whom he developed an immediate and lifelong friendship. Lady Elizabeth was a childhood friend of Queen Elizabeth II and a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret from the late 1940s until the latter's death in 2002.

Betjeman was a sociable fellow and churned out letters like a one-man gossip factory, filling pages with his thoughts and observations. So many, in fact, that they needed two whole volumes after he shuffled off this mortal coil just to hold them all.

MONEY AND FAME: Although never wealthy, Betjeman achieved a level of fame and success in his lifetime, becoming one of England's most beloved poets and cultural figures.

John Betjeman was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death in 1984. 

FOOD AND DRINK: Betjeman enjoyed traditional English fare, particularly roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and had a fondness for ale and fine wine.

The Poet Laureate's original salary in the 17th century was £200 a year plus a butt of canary (110 gallons of Spanish sherry). Betjeman had the tradition revived in 1972, and today's Poet Laureate continues to receive a barrel of sherry.

MUSIC AND ARTS: Betjeman had a deep appreciation for music and the arts, often incorporating references to classical music and painting into his poetry.

LITERATURE: A voracious reader from a young age, Betjeman drew inspiration from a wide range of literary sources, including the Romantic poets and the Victorian novelists. He admired poets like W.B. Yeats and John Keats and championed the work of lesser-known Victorian poets. 

Betjeman's poems were hugely popular not just with the chin-stroking critics, but with ordinary folks too. His 1958 collection, Collected Poems, was a runaway bestseller, proving that poetry didn't have to be as obscure as a bat's nest to be enjoyed. It was full of clever rhymes and echoes of those grand old 19th-century poets, all delivered with a distinctly Betjeman-esque wink.

Then came Summoned by Bells in 1960, a trip down memory lane for Betjeman. He painted such vivid pictures with his words, you could practically smell the kippers and hear the bicycle bells of his childhood. It was like stepping back in time, a time capsule cracked open for all to see.

NATURE: Betjeman had a profound love for the English countryside, which frequently served as a backdrop for his poetry and writing.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS: Betjeman was an avid gardener and enjoyed spending time outdoors. He also had a passion for trains and railways, which he celebrated in both his poetry and prose.

Betjeman had a fondness for Victorian architecture at a time when it was unfashionable, and he was a founding member of The Victorian Society.

At school, Betjeman founded The Heretick, a satirical magazine that lampooned Marlborough's obsession with sport. 

SCIENCE AND MATHS: While not a scientist or mathematician, Betjeman had a keen interest in the history and architecture of buildings, often writing about them in his poetry.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY: Betjeman was an Anglican and his religious beliefs come through in some of his poems.  He combined piety with a nagging uncertainty about the truth of Christianity. 

While not overtly preachy, his work often grapples with themes of morality, social responsibility, and the importance of preserving the past.

SCANDAL: Betjeman was not known for scandalous behavior, maintaining a relatively quiet and respectable public image.

MILITARY RECORD: In 1939, Betjeman was rejected for military service in World War II but found war work with the films division of the Ministry of Information.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS: Betjeman struggled with poor health throughout his life, suffering from various ailments, including asthma and depression. For the last decade of his life, Betjeman suffered increasingly from Parkinson's disease. 

HOMES: Betjeman lived in various homes throughout his life, including a cottage in Trebetherick, Cornwall, which served as a source of inspiration for much of his poetry.

The office in his Trebetherick home. By Neil Kennedy Wikipedia

A passionate defender of Victorian architecture, he helped to save St Pancras railway station from demolition.

TRAVEL: Betjeman was an avid traveler, particularly drawn to Europe. His journeys informed his appreciation for architecture and different cultures.

DEATH: Betjeman passed away on May 19, 1984, at the age of 77, in Trebetherick, Cornwall. Lady Elizabeth was at his side.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA: Betjeman's engaging personality and passion for his subjects made him a natural for television and radio. He presented programs that introduced viewers to the beauty of Victorian architecture and the power of poetry.

ACHIEVEMENTS: Betjeman's achievements include being named Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1972, as well as receiving numerous awards and honors for his contributions to literature and culture.