Poet and novelist, born in Ledbury, Herefordshire, WC England, UK. Trained for the merchant service, he served his apprenticeship on a sailing ship. Ill health drove him ashore, and after three years in New York he returned to England to become a writer in 1897, first making his mark as a journalist. His earliest and best-known poetical work, Salt Water Ballads (containing Sea Fever), appeared in 1902. His finest narrative poem is probably Reynard the Fox (1919), and other works include the novels Sard Harker (1924) and The Hawbucks (1929), and the plays The Trial of Jesus (1925) and The Coming of Christ (1928). He became poet laureate in 1930.
John Edward Masefield, OM, (1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967), was an English poet and writer, and Poet Laureate from 1930 until his death in 1967.
Life
Early life
Masefield was born in Ledbury, in Herefordshire, a rural area in england.
When he was six, his mother died shortly after giving birth to his sister, Norah.
After an education at the King's School in Warwick (now known as Warwick School), where he was a boarder between 1888 and 1891, his Aunt insisted he be sent on the HMS Conway, for training for a life at sea.
In 1894, Masefield boarded the Gilcruix, destined for Chile, this first voyage bringing him the experience of sea sickness and a taste of fierce weather. Upon reaching Chile, Masefield suffered from sunstroke and was hospitalized.
In 1895, Masefield returned to sea on a windjammer destined for New York City.
For the next two years, Masefield was employed in a carpet factory, where long hours were expected and conditions were far from ideal.
When Masefield was 23, he met his future wife, Constance Crommelin, who was 35. Educated in classics and English Literature, and a mathematics teacher, Constance was a perfect match for Masefield despite the difference in age.
By 24, Masefield’s poems were being published in periodicals and his first collected works, "Salt-Water Ballads" was published. Masefield then wrote two novels, "Captain Margaret" (1908) and "Multitude and Solitude" (1909).
"The Everlasting Mercy" was the first of his narrative poems, and within the next year, Masefield produced 2 more narrative poems, "The Widow in the Bye Street" and "Dauber". As a result of the writing of these three poems, Masefield became widely known to the public and was praised by critics, and in 1912, the annual Edmund de Polignac prize was bestowed upon Masefield.
World War I to appointment as Poet Laureate
When World War I began, though old enough to be exempted from military service, Masefield went to the Western Front as a medical orderly, later publishing his own account of his experiences.
After returning home, Masefield was invited to the United States on a 3 month lecture tour. Although Masefield's primary purpose was to lecture on English Literature, a secondary purpose was to collect information on the mood and views of Americans regarding the war in Europe. As a result, Masefield wrote ‘Gallipoli’.
Due to the success of his wartime writings, Masefield met with the head of British Military Intelligence in France and was asked to write an account of the Battle of the Somme. Although Masefield had grand ideas for his book, he was denied access to the official records, and therefore, what was to be his preface to the book was published as "The Old Front Line", a description of the geography of the Somme area.
In 1918, Masefield returned to America on his second lecture tour. Masefield much of his time speaking and lecturing to American soldiers waiting to be sent to Europe.
Masefield entered the 1920's as an accomplished and respected writer. His family was able to settle in a somewhat rural setting, not far from Oxford, and Masefield took up beekeeping, goat-herding and poultry-keeping.
Masefield continued to meet with success, the 1923 edition of "Collected Poems" selling approximately 80,000 copies, quite a lot for a book of poetry. Another threesome of narrative poems was produced by Masefield early in this decade.
In 1921, Masefield received an Honorary Doctorate of Literature from Oxford University, and in 1923, organized the Oxford Recitations, an annual contest whose purpose was "to discover good speakers of verse and to encourage ‘the beautiful speaking of poetry.’" The Recitations were seen as a success given the impressive numbers of contest applicants, the promotion of natural speech in poetical recitations, and the number of people learning how to listen to poetry. Masefield began to question however, whether the Recitations should continue as a contest, believing that the event should become more of a festival. In 1929, Masefield broke with the contest concept, and the Recitations came to an end.
Masefield also wrote a very large number of dramatical pieces during this time.
Later years
In 1930, due to the death of Robert Bridges, a new Poet Laureate was needed. However, upon the recommendation of the British Prime Minister, King George V appointed Masefield, who remained in office until his death in 1967.
Although the requirements of Poet Laureate had changed, and those in the office were no longer required to write verse for special occasions, Masefield took his appointment seriously and produced a large quantity of verse.
After his appointment, Masefield received many honors, including the Order of Merit by King George V.
Masefield encouraged the continued development of English literature and poetry, and began the annual awarding of the Royal Medals for Poetry for a first or second published edition of poetry by a poet under the age of 35.
It was not until about the age of 70, that Masefield slowed his pace due to illness. Masefield was constantly at Constance’s side, and although her death was heartrending to him, he had spent a very tiring year watching the woman he adored die.
On May 12, 1967, John Masefield died, after having suffered through a spread of gangrene up his leg. Later, the following verse was discovered, written by Masefield, addressed to his ‘Heirs, Administrators, and Assigns’:
Let no religious rite be done or read In any place for me when I am dead, But burn my body into ash, and scatter The ash in secret into running water, Or on the windy down, and let none see;
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