Bernard Spencer

Charles Bernard Spencer (1909 ? 1963) was an English poet.

Related Topics:
1909 - 1963

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He was born in Madras, India and educated at Marlborough College and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. At Marlborough he knew John Betjeman and Louis MacNeice; at Oxford Stephen Spender, and he also came across W. H. Auden. He edited Oxford Poetry in 1930-1931. He was not, however, drawn far into what was soon known as the Auden Group; he is identified much more with the type of poetry later exemplified by Lawrence Durrell, and is for some critics the stand-out in the Cairo poets. His potential was never quite fulfilled, partly because of poor health.

Related Topics:
Madras - India - Marlborough College - Corpus Christi College, Oxford - John Betjeman - Louis MacNeice - Oxford - Stephen Spender - W. H. Auden - 1930 - 1931 - Auden Group - Lawrence Durrell - Cairo poets

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After graduation he made a living from teaching and writing, marrying the actress Norah Gibbs in 1936. At that time he was collaborating on Geoffrey Grigson's New Verse. In World War II he worked for the British Council, in Greece and then Egypt. There he edited the Personal Landscape magazine.

Related Topics:
1936 - Geoffrey Grigson - World War II - British Council - Greece - Egypt

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After the war he continued to work for the British Council, being posted to Italy. Norah died in 1947, of tuberculosis. He himself was ill for a time. Through other postings he wrote little.

Related Topics:
British Council - Italy - 1947 - Tuberculosis

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He was married again in 1961, to Anne Marjoribanks. He died in Vienna, apparently in an accident, while once more in bad health.

Related Topics:
1961 - Vienna

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