John Keats and The Eve of St Agnes

Nigel Gossop


Regions:
Hampshire, West Sussex, Dorset
Notice Period:
Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
Type:
Retired
Fee:
Paid: £60.00 plus travel at 45p per mile
Category:
History
Updated:
31st May 2025
Tagged:
John Keats

The poem The Eve of St Agnes by John Keats was written more than 200 years ago in January 1819 during a visit to Chichester, Stansted Park and Bedhampton. It was published in 1820 in his second and last volume of poems. John Keats was the last of the Romantic poets to be born, but sadly the first to die. The talk covers an outline of Keats tragically short life and works, and an introduction to the players and characters involved with bringing him on this visit without which The Eve of St Agnes may never have been penned. In September 1820 the dying John Keats was en route to Italy when a storm forced the ship he was on to take shelter in Portsmouth Harbour, giving him the opportunity to spend his last night on English soil back in the village of Bedhampton. Duration: 60 minutes Illustrated: PowerPoint

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About Nigel Gossop

I have been a book collector, researcher and keen writer for more than forty years. In 2009 I founded 'The Westerman Yarns', a collective of like minded people who research, promote and encourage interest in the lives and works of children’s adventure writers. I have worked in music, the arts and event management; a specialist topic that I taught at a further education college for ten years until I embarked on my misspent retirement when I threw myself into researching more about many of the topics that I never found the time to explore, whilst holding down a ‘proper job’. During my time as a local authority arts officer I worked on several literature festivals that developed and expanded my interest in literary research, and fired my enthusiasm for learning about the lives and works of ‘forgotten’ and lesser known authors. More recently I have conducted research into the history of the area where I live, in particular, the diverse history of the north of Portsmouth and Portsdown Hill. I hope that you find something to interest your audience in my diverse list of talks. If you want to know more or have any questions, please email me.


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