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Myers Literary Guide:
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The North-East
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KENNETH ALLOTT (1912 - 1973) Born in Glamorgan, Allott was brought up by his aunts from the age of 14 and attended St Cuthbert's Roman catholic Grammar School in Newcastle. There he became known as 'Speedy' because he spoke so quickly. In 1934, he got a first at Armstrong College, Newcastle, then gained a diploma in education the following year. Subsequently, Allott began working as a reviewer for the Morning Post and with Geoffrey Grigson on New Verse. He also worked as an observer for Charles Madge's social survey group Mass Observation. In 1942 Allott, a conscientious objector, moved with his family to Gateshead for a year as an extra-mural lecturer. By now he had published a comic novel and two collections of poetry, perhaps best remembered for 'Lament for a Cricket Eleven'. He was regarded by many as one of the most promising poets of the day; Francis Scarfe (q.v.) devoted a whole chapter to him in Auden and After. Allott became general editor of the five-volume Pelican Book of English Prose (1956) and of the Oxford History of English Literature. He was a leading authority on Victorian literature and edited many poetic selections. His familiar yellow anthology The Penguin Book of Contemporary Verse (1950; revised and enlarged 1962) was used widely and colleges. Inspector Wexford has been seen reading it on television. Allott's Collected Poems was published posthumously in 1975. He was a witty and popular lecturer, with a great affection for cats. He also smoked heavily, believing wrongly that an earlier bout of tuberculosis would confer protection. He did in fact die of lung cancer.
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