Cecil Day-Lewis

Cecil Day-Lewis (or Day Lewis) (1904-22 May 1972) was a British poet. Born in Ireland (at Ballintubber, County Laois), he was educated at Wadham College, Oxford, where he made the acquaintance of W. H. Auden.

After working as a school-teacher for some years, he eventually became a full-time writer, supplementing his poetry income by writing crime novels under the pseudonym "Nicholas Blake" (producing 20 books).

During the Second World War he worked as a publications editor in the Ministry of Information. After the war, he joined publisher Chatto & Windus as a director and senior editor. He later taught poetry at Oxford University and other universities.

He lived with his second wife, actress Jill Balcon, in Croom's Hill, Greenwich, London.

In 1968, Day-Lewis was appointed Poet Laureate, a position he held until his death four years later.

He was the father of Academy Award winning actor, Daniel Day-Lewis.