'Nice to know there is at least one Larkin in Lichfield' - Poet Philip's letters and cards to cousin come to auction

'Nice to know there is at least one Larkin in Lichfield' - Poet Philip's letters and cards to cousin come to auction

HANDWRITTEN personal correspondence from poet and novelist Philip Larkin to his cousin in Lichfield is coming up for auction in the city.

The archive goes under the hammer in Richard Winterton Auctioneers’ Fine Art Sale on Wednesday, February 15, starting at 9.30am at The Lichfield Auction Centre.

It includes one of the final Christmas cards Larkin would have sent, postmarked December 17 1984 – he died the following year on December 2 aged 63.

The correspondence to Larkin’s cousin Vera Thorpe nee Larkin, newly come to light after being discovered in an attic in Sutton Coldfield, begins with a letter from 1977 to an address in Beacon Street, Lichfield, signed ‘Philip (Larkin)’.

The others were all sent in the early 1980s to a home in Longstaff Croft, Lichfield, and are simply signed ‘Philip’.

The lot includes an order of service for Larkin’s memorial at Westminster Abbey on February 14 1986.

Although the literary figure himself was born in Coventry, Larkin’s father Sydney’s family lived in Lichfield since the 18th century, trading as tailors, coach-builders and shoe-makers, and the poet continued an association with the cathedral city until his death.

In a 1977 letter on headed notepaper discussing the death of his mother, Larkin tells ‘Cousin Vera’: “We hope her ashes will eventually be interred beside those of my father in St Michael’s Churchyard in Lichfield.”

Other correspondence includes a postcard sent to Vera in August 1984 thanking her for a birthday card.

The postcard is illustrated with a picture of Princes Dock in Hull as it was in 1887 and Larkin wryly signs off: “Hull doesn't look like this nowadays, worse luck!”

He describes himself as ‘alright but too fat and deaf’ and confesses that his ‘memory has mislaid your The photograph of Vera Thorpe with the book, both of which are included in the lot. Inset: The 1984 Christmas card and postcard sent in the August of that year.

The final correspondence is a Christmas card with envelope postmarked December 17 1984.

“Thank you for An extract from Larkin's letter on October 9 1984: “It is nice to know there is at least one Larkin in Lichfield but perhaps there are more? While uncle Alfred was alive my mother and I used to visit him from time to time. I liked Lichfield but the streets seemed very narrow for the traffic. Perhaps they have changed.”

The archive is estimated to sell for around £300 to £500 when it goes under the hammer on February 15.

Larkin remains one of Britain's most popular poets although revelations about his personal life and opinions have caused controversy.

His compositions reflected the dreariness of post-war England and the unhappiness it caused.

Uneasy with fame, Larkin rarely consented to interviews and worked in libraries his whole life.

He is quoted as observing: “Deprivation is for me what daffodils were for Wordsworth.”

Richard Winterton Auctioneers’ Fine Art Sale takes place on Wednesday, February 15, at The Lichfield Auction Centre, Fradley Park, WS13 8NF.

The sale starts at 9.30am and the digital catalogue can be viewed online a week before.

For viewing or valuation enquiries, telephone 01543 251081 or email office@richardwinterton.co.uk.

The same sale features nine signed drawings by Royal fashion designer Norman Hartnell discovered in the Barton, including concepts for dresses for Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother.