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1914-1986
Born in 1914 in Erdington, Birmingham. Educated at the King Edward VI Grammar School, Aston, Birmingham and the University of Birmingham, graduating with first class honours. A thesis on Thomas Hardy gained him his Master of Arts. He worked as a journalist and teacher before being called-up to serve in the British Army from 1941, but he was soon transferred to intelligence work until the end of the war. His literary skills ensured continuing work with the British Broadcasting Corporation and he became a frequent broadcaster and author of plays for radio. His only work for television was in 1969 when he collaborated with Ken Russell on a play about the composer Richard Strauss.
Only one volume of poetry was published in his lifetime, A map of Verona (1946) and this includes Naming of parts, perhaps his most well known poem. His verse plays for radio have been collected in The streets of Pompeii (1971) and satirical prose plays in Hilda Tablet and others (1971).
The following works are available in the West Midlands Creative Literature Collection:-
Hilda Tablet and others: four pieces for radio
(1971)
A map of Verona (1946) [Poetry]
The streets of Pompeii and other plays for radio
(1971)
There are two major collections relating to Henry Reed. The Henry Reed Collection at the University of Birmingham is a major resource. It contains notebooks, manuscripts, typescripts and letters. The BBC Written Archive Centre has correspondence, scripts and recordings relating to his work for them.
Henry Reed: Collected Poems by Professor Jon Stallworthy (1991) contains work published for the first time, taken from the University of Birmingham collection.
Page created 9 February 2001 and last
updated 28 October 2002
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