Alfred Austin
A Victorian poet who ascended to the Laureateship more through political loyalty than poetic genius, his verse now largely forgotten.
1835–1913 (age 78)·English poet·Birthday: May 30
Biography
Alfred Austin's literary career is a curious footnote in British cultural history. A journalist and staunch Conservative, he spent years writing earnest, conventional poetry that critics often dismissed as mediocre. His elevation to Poet Laureate in 1896 was a surprise, ending a lengthy vacancy after Tennyson's death. It was widely seen as a political reward from Prime Minister Lord Salisbury for Austin's partisan support, rather than a recognition of artistic merit. His official verses for state occasions were frequently lampooned. Ironically, Austin himself found greater public appreciation in his prose writings, particularly his gentle, observant essays on gardening and the English countryside, which displayed a warmth often absent from his poetry. His tenure remains one of the least distinguished in the history of the post.
#1 When Alfred Was Born
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Alfred's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1835Born
1840Started school
1848Became a teenager
1851Could drive
1853Could vote
1856Turned 21
1865Turned 30
President: Andrew Johnson
1875Turned 40
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1885Turned 50
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1895Turned 60
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1905Turned 70
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Died at 78
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
Key Achievements
- Appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1896, a position he held until his death in 1913.
- Founded and edited the National Review, a influential conservative journal, from 1883 to 1895.
- Published a prolific output of poetry collections, including 'The Season: A Satire' and narrative poems like 'The Human Tragedy'.
- Wrote a well-received two-volume autobiography, detailing his life and literary opinions.
Did You Know?
He was the first Poet Laureate to write an official poem for a coronation (Edward VII's) in the 20th century.
A passionate gardener, he built a famous garden at his home, Swinford Old Manor, which he often wrote about.
The poet Wilfred Scawen Blunt famously wrote in his diary that Austin's poetry was 'such poo'.
He initially studied to be a barrister before turning to literature and journalism.
“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature.”
