A simple blue plaque. Have you spotted it yet? It marks a place of literary significance. This is the John Masefield Blue Plaque. It commemorates the poet John Masefield. He lived here at 30 Maida Avenue from 1907 to 1912.
John Masefield was born in Ledbury Herefordshire in 1878. His parents were Edward and Caroline Masefield. Edward was a solicitor.
Masefield’s early life was marked by tragedy. He was orphaned young. His aunt became his guardian. She sent him to the King’s School in Warwick.
At 13 Masefield joined HMS Conway. His aunt hoped to curb his reading habit and train him for naval service. He spent years aboard ship. He read a lot and wrote stories.
At 17 Masefield arrived in New York City. He was supposed to join a merchant vessel. Instead he left the ship. He worked odd jobs before finding work in a carpet factory. It was in America that Masefield discovered his love for poetry.
Masefield returned to England in 1897. His first success came in 1899. The Outlook magazine published his poem “Nicias Moriturus”. In 1900 he met William Butler Yeats. This started a lifelong friendship. It also introduced Masefield to other artists and writers.
Masefield briefly worked for the Manchester Guardian. He then headed the fine arts section of an exhibition in Wolverhampton. In 1902 his first poetry collection appeared. It was titled Salt-Water Ballads.
During World War One Masefield was an orderly in a French hospital. He toured the United States lecturing. He supported the Allied forces. Masefield wrote Gallipoli to counter German propaganda. He received honorary degrees from Harvard and Yale.
In 1930 Masefield became Poet Laureate. He succeeded Robert Bridges. He held the position until his death. Only Alfred Lord Tennyson held it longer. Masefield wrote poems for royal events. He received an honorary degree from Cambridge. The Order of Merit was awarded to him in 1935.
Masefield encouraged other poets. In 1933 King George V created the Gold Medal for Poetry. This was Masefield’s idea. He became president of the Society of Authors in 1937.
John Masefield died in 1967. He was buried in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey. His grave is next to Robert Browning’s.
The inscription on the John Masefield Blue Plaque notes his title. It reads “John Masefield O.M. 1878-1967 Poet Laureate lived here 1907-1912”. Take a moment to appreciate the legacy of John Masefield. This plaque serves as a reminder of his contribution to literature.