Carol Ann Duffy

Carol Ann Duffy - Poets, Facts and Childhood

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Carol Ann Duffy's Personal Details

Carol Ann Duffy is an award-winning British poet and children’s book writer

InformationDetail
BirthdayDecember 23, 1955
NationalityBritish
FamousAtheists, Feminists, Lesbians, Writers, Poets
SpousesPeter Benson
Known asDame Carol Ann Duffy
ChildrensElla
Universities
  • University of Liverpool
Birth PlaceGlasgow
GenderFemale
FatherMay Black
MotherFrank Duffy
Sun SignCapricorn
Born inGlasgow

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Carol Ann Duffy's photo

Who is Carol Ann Duffy?

The first woman Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Carol Ann Duff is a much-admired, award-winning female poet. Many of her poems are part of the British school and university curriculum and she has established herself as one of the most significant literary figures in the genre of contemporary British poetry. One of Britain’s most loved, successful poets, Ann Duffy’s works is based on themes such as gender issues, violence, oppression, social inequality and contemporary culture. Some of her notable and award-winning publications include, ‘Standing Female Nude’, ‘Selling Manhattan’, ‘Mean Time’, ‘The Other Country’, ‘Queen Munch and Queen Nibble’, ‘The Oldest Girl in the World’ and ‘The Princess's Blankets’. Her verses lend voice to the alienated and often ignored members of the society. One of the most celebrated 21st century poets, Ann Duffy’s work hurls the readers into a world of rich fantasy. She has also authored illustrated children’s fantasy story books. She has been conferred with several prestigious awards and honorary doctorates for her contribution to the world of literature.

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Childhood & Early Life

Carol Ann Duffy was born in Gorbals, a poverty struck and underprivileged part of Glasgow, United Kingdom to Frank Duffy, an electrical fitter and Mary Black.

At the age of six, her family re-located to Stafford, England, where she attended the Austin's RC Primary School from 1962 to 1967 and later she was enrolled at St. Joseph's Convent School and Stafford Girls' High School.

She was a voracious reader from her school days and by the age of eleven she authored many poems. At the age of fifteen, her poems were published by ‘Outposts’, a pamphlet publishing house.

In 1974, she enrolled at the University of Liverpool, where she studied philosophy. While at the university, she wrote for a pamphlet titled ‘Fifth Last Song’.

In 1988, she began to work for The Guardian as a poetry critic. She also worked as an editor for ‘Ambit’, a poetry magazine.

Career

In 1985, she published ‘Standing Female Nude’, a collection of poems. The title poem of the book is written from the point of view of a nude female model.

In 1987, she published one of her highly acclaimed works of poetry, ‘Selling Manhattan’. The book was very well-received and is regarded as one of her best works.

In 1990, she came out with ‘The Other Country’, a collection of poems that was well appreciated and positively reviewed by literary critics. The book takes readers on a fascinating journey into a fantastical world.

In 1993, she published her award-winning poetry collection, ‘Mean Time’, a compilation of verses inspired from childhood, adolescence and adulthood incidents.

In 1999, she published ‘Meeting Midnight’, which was a collection of poems for young readers. That year, she also came out with ‘The World's Wife’, a selection of verses on sexism, equality, bereavement and birth.

Published in 2000, her children’s poetry collection, ‘The Oldest Girl in the World’, was illustrated by Marketa Prachaticka. It is a complete work of fantasy that captures the imagination of its readers.

In 2002, she came out with the illustrated children’s book titled, ‘Queen Munch and Queen Nibble’, which was Illustrated by Lydia Monks.

In 2005, she came out with her award-winning collection of love poems titled ‘Rapture’. This widely appreciated publication made her one of the most significant contemporary poets.

In 2007, she published the children’s book titled, ‘The Tear Thief’. The plot of the book revolved around the imaginary character, ‘Tear Thief’, who stole the tears of every child who cried.

Published in 2009, her children’s book ‘The Princess's Blankets’, was a fictional tale of a young princess who could never feel warm with anything, until the day her heart is filled with the warmth of love.

Her poem titled, ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas 2009’, highlighted the issues of climate change, species extinction, banking crisis and the war in Afghanistan.

In 2011, she came out with the illustrated book, ‘The Christmas Truce’, which is a moving tale of the World War I troops, both German and British who put down their guns to play a game of football on Christmas day.

In 2011, she dedicated a 46 line poem titled ‘Rings’, to the wedding event of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. The poem, however, did not specifically mention the names of the couple.

In 2012, she published the illustrated Christmas poem tiled ‘Wenceslas: A Christmas Poem’, which was a re-told account of the carol of King Wenceslas.

Major Works, Awards & Achievements

Her poem collection ‘Standing Female Nude’ is one of her most popular and critically acclaimed works. It was the recipient of the Scottish Arts Council Award.

Her collection of poems titled ‘Selling Manhattan’ was one her most revered and admired publications. It was the recipient of the Somerset Maugham Award.

‘Mean Time’ is one of her most significant works. It received the Forward Poetry Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Award, a British literary award.

In 1984, she received the Eric Gregory Award.

In 1999, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

In 2009, she was appointed as the Poet Laureate of The United Kingdom.

Personal Life & Legacy

Carol Ann Duffy is openly bi-sexual. Always a rebel with an unconventionally independent streak, she was only 16 when she first met the poet, musician and artist Adrian Henri who was 39 at that time. Their huge age gap did not deter the teenager from developing a romantic liaison with the much older man, a relationship that lasted for 12 years.

Later Duffy entered into a relationship with the Scottish poet and novelist Jackie Kay who is lesbian. The two women were together for 15 years before breaking up.

*Duffy is the mother of one daughter, Ella, born in 1995. Ella’s father is the writer Peter Benson.

Trivia

This award-winning British poet entered into a live-in relationship with her boyfriend when she was only 16 years old.

*This famous poet is the first openly LGBT person to hold the title of Britain’s Poet Laureate.

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Carol Ann Duffy's awards

YearNameAward

Other

1988Somerset Maugham Award
1989Dylan Thomas Prize
1990Scottish Arts Council Book Award
1992Cholmondeley Award
1993Whitbread Awards
1993Scottish Arts Council Book Award
1993Forward Prize
1995Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
1995Lannan Award
1999Signal Children's Poetry Prize
1999Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
2001National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts Award
2002Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
2005T S Eliot Prize
2011Costa Book Awards
2012PEN/Pinter Prize
0
01983 - National Poetry Competition 1st prize
0 1984 - Eric Gregory Award
0 1986 - Scottish Arts Council Book Award

Carol Ann Duffy biography timelines

  • // 23rd Dec 1955
    Carol Ann Duffy was born in Gorbals, a poverty struck and underprivileged part of Glasgow, United Kingdom to Frank Duffy, an electrical fitter and Mary Black.
  • // 1962 To 1967
    At the age of six, her family re-located to Stafford, England, where she attended the Austin's RC Primary School from 1962 to 1967 and later she was enrolled at St. Joseph's Convent School and Stafford Girls' High School.
  • // 1974
    In 1974, she enrolled at the University of Liverpool, where she studied philosophy. While at the university, she wrote for a pamphlet titled ‘Fifth Last Song’.
  • // 1984
    In 1984, she received the Eric Gregory Award.
  • // 1985
    In 1985, she published ‘Standing Female Nude’, a collection of poems. The title poem of the book is written from the point of view of a nude female model.
  • // 1987
    In 1987, she published one of her highly acclaimed works of poetry, ‘Selling Manhattan’. The book was very well-received and is regarded as one of her best works.
  • // 1988
    In 1988, she began to work for The Guardian as a poetry critic. She also worked as an editor for ‘Ambit’, a poetry magazine.
  • // 1990
    In 1990, she came out with ‘The Other Country’, a collection of poems that was well appreciated and positively reviewed by literary critics. The book takes readers on a fascinating journey into a fantastical world.
  • // 1993
    In 1993, she published her award-winning poetry collection, ‘Mean Time’, a compilation of verses inspired from childhood, adolescence and adulthood incidents.
  • // 1999
    In 1999, she published ‘Meeting Midnight’, which was a collection of poems for young readers. That year, she also came out with ‘The World's Wife’, a selection of verses on sexism, equality, bereavement and birth.
  • // 1999
    In 1999, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
  • // 2000
    Published in 2000, her children’s poetry collection, ‘The Oldest Girl in the World’, was illustrated by Marketa Prachaticka. It is a complete work of fantasy that captures the imagination of its readers.
  • // 2002
    In 2002, she came out with the illustrated children’s book titled, ‘Queen Munch and Queen Nibble’, which was Illustrated by Lydia Monks.
  • // 2005
    In 2005, she came out with her award-winning collection of love poems titled ‘Rapture’. This widely appreciated publication made her one of the most significant contemporary poets.
  • // 2007
    In 2007, she published the children’s book titled, ‘The Tear Thief’. The plot of the book revolved around the imaginary character, ‘Tear Thief’, who stole the tears of every child who cried.
  • // 2009
    Published in 2009, her children’s book ‘The Princess's Blankets’, was a fictional tale of a young princess who could never feel warm with anything, until the day her heart is filled with the warmth of love.
  • // 2009
    Her poem titled, ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas 2009’, highlighted the issues of climate change, species extinction, banking crisis and the war in Afghanistan.
  • // 2009
    In 2009, she was appointed as the Poet Laureate of The United Kingdom.
  • // 2011
    In 2011, she came out with the illustrated book, ‘The Christmas Truce’, which is a moving tale of the World War I troops, both German and British who put down their guns to play a game of football on Christmas day.
  • // 2011
    In 2011, she dedicated a 46 line poem titled ‘Rings’, to the wedding event of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. The poem, however, did not specifically mention the names of the couple.
  • // 2012
    In 2012, she published the illustrated Christmas poem tiled ‘Wenceslas: A Christmas Poem’, which was a re-told account of the carol of King Wenceslas.

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Carol Ann Duffy's FAQ

  • What is Carol Ann Duffy birthday?

    Carol Ann Duffy was born at 1955-12-23

  • Where is Carol Ann Duffy's birth place?

    Carol Ann Duffy was born in Glasgow

  • What is Carol Ann Duffy nationalities?

    Carol Ann Duffy's nationalities is British

  • Who is Carol Ann Duffy spouses?

    Carol Ann Duffy's spouses is Peter Benson

  • Who is Carol Ann Duffy childrens?

    Carol Ann Duffy's childrens is Ella

  • What was Carol Ann Duffy universities?

    Carol Ann Duffy studied at University of Liverpool

  • Who is Carol Ann Duffy's father?

    Carol Ann Duffy's father is May Black

  • Who is Carol Ann Duffy's mother?

    Carol Ann Duffy's mother is Frank Duffy

  • What is Carol Ann Duffy's sun sign?

    Carol Ann Duffy is Capricorn