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Who was He? Poet. Date and Place of Birth: 6th August 1809, Somersby Rectory, Lincolnshire, England. Family Background: He was the fourth of twelve children of George, the Rector of Somersby and Elizabeth who were a talented but unhappy couple. Education: Louth Grammar School, where he hated the sadistic Headmaster, the Reverend J. Waite. Trinity College, Cambridge University. Chronology: 1823: Poems by Alfred and his brother Charles were published by Jacksons in Louth, Lincolnshire. 1829: Wins the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Trinity College, Cambridge with "Timbuctoo". He becomes a member of "The Apostles" group. Spends Christmas at Somersby with his college friend Arthur Hallam. 1832: Visits the Rhineland in Germany with Hallam. 1833: His work "Poems" is slammed by the critics in "The Quarterly Review" for being "too sentimental". (September) Arthur Hallam dies in Vienna. 1835: Death of his grandfather George. 1836: Falls in love with Emily Sellwood at his brother's wedding. 1837: His parents and the rest of the family leave Somersby and move to Beech Hill House, at High Beech, Near Epping in Essex. 1840: Family move to Tunbridge Wells. 1841: Family move to Boxley, near Maidstone in Kent. 1842: His sisters Emily and Cecilia marry. 1843: Collapse of the woodcarving business which Tennyson had invested most of his inheritance. He moves to Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. 1845: He is granted a pension from the Civil List by the Government. 1850: Publication of "In Memoriam" which had been inspired by the untimely death of his friend Hallam. Becomes Poet Laureate, succeeding William Wordsworth. 1851: (March) The Tennyson's move to Chapel House, Twickenham. 1852: (August) Birth of son Hallam Tennyson. 1853: (November) They move to Farringford in the Isle of Wight. 1854: Birth of Son Lionel. 1855: Publication of "Maud and Other Poems". 1858: Tennyson visits Norway alone. 1859: Visits Portugal. 1860: Julia Cameron goes to live at Farringford. 1861: Visits the Pyrenees with his family. 1862: Received by Queen Victoria at Osborne House in the Isle of Wight. 1865: Death of his mother. 1868: (April) Begins to build a summer residence at Aldworth in Sussex. 1875: Publication of "Queen Mary". 1884: Takes his seat in the House of Lords as the First Baron Tennyson. His play "Becket" is published. 1885: "Tiresias and Other Poems" is published. 1886: Death of Lionel. (1893): First performance of his play "Becket". Written Works: 1827: " Poems by Two Brothers" (Alfred and Charles). 1829: "Timbuctoo" 1830: "Poems Chiefly Lyrical". 1832: "The Lady of Shallot". "The Lotus Eaters". 1842: "Poems". 1847: "The Princess". 1850: "In Memoriam" 1852: "Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington". 1854: "The Charge of the Light Brigade". 1855: "Maud and Other Poems". 1859: "The Idylls of the King". 1864: "Idylls of the Hearth". 1865: "A Selection from the Works". 1869: "The Holy Grail and Other Poems". 1872: "Gareth and Lynette". 1876: Queen Mary". 1875: "The Lover's Tale". 1879: "The Falcon". 1880: "Ballads and Other Poems". 1881: "The Cup". 1885: "Tiresias and Other Poems" 1889: "Demeter" 1892: "The Foresters". "The Death of Oenone". "Akbar's Dream". 1893: "Becket". Marriage: 1850 to Emily Sarah Sellwood. Places of Interest: CORNWALL: Tintagel was inspiration for the "Idylls of the King". CUMBRIA: Honeymooned at Tent Lodge, Coniston. LINCOLNSHIRE: Some personal effects at the Usher Gallery, Lincoln. SOMERSET: Honeymooned at Clevedon House. SUFFOLK: Visited Edward Fitzgerald at Dunwich. ISLE OF WIGHT: Tennyson Down Cliff Walk, Farringford. Lived at Farrington House, Freshwater. Summer House at Maiden's Croft Meadows, Freshwater. Tennyson Display Room in Carrisbrooke Castle, Newport. Date and Place of Death: 6th October 1892, Aldworth, Surrey, England. Age at Death: 83. Site of Grave: Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey, Westminster , London, England.