Philip Larkin (1922-1985), author and poet, was born and educated in Coventry, before going on to St John's College, Oxford, to read English in 1940. Within a few weeks of his arrival, he had published a poem in the BBC's The Listener, and he also began work on his first novel Jill while at university. After graduating, Larkin began a career as a librarian, whilst continuing his writing: his first book of poetry, The North Ship, was published in 1945, and Jill the following year, though neither recieved much attention.

In 1947 Larkin published his second novel, A Girl in Winter, which saw more success, but it was not until he made the decision to move to Belfast in 1950 that he made his name as a poet. The reputation earned through his subsequent publications of poetry qualified him to produce an anthology of Twentieth Century English Verse in 1973, and to be bestowed with honourary doctorates from seven universities, and a CBE in 1975. Larkin spent the last thirty years of his life as Librarian at The University of Hull.