My guest today is Ian Kerry who is a photographer and Hull enthusiast. And today’s episode is a new direction for me as I take the microphone outside and travel 70 miles up the road from Sheffield to the Hessle Foreshore, sitting on a picnic bench taking in the view of the Humber Bridge. Ian, Gavin and I talk about the construction of the bridge and the effect of the bridge’s arrival on the local community and the changes to the landscape and human relationships that the bridge brought about. We...
Apr 27, 2025•53 min
Our guest today is writer Ralph Dartford who works for the National Literacy Trust and is the poetry editor of literary journal Northern Gravy. Ralph kindly made the journey from Bradford to the Lockwood residence in Sheffield, and we settled down in my living room with mugs of tea and a plate of biscuits, surrounded by books and looked down upon by at least three pictures of Larkin. Ralph also co-organises the fantastic Louder Than Words festival that takes place in Manchester every autumn, and...
Mar 14, 2025•1 hr 8 min
'It was not easy to find a poet in the United States in my reading,who wrote with the clarity and intelligence that Larkin possessed. I found him to be full of surprises..’ My guest today is writer David Biespiel who was born in Texas and who is now Poet in residence at Oregan state university. He has written for numerous publications and reviewed poetry for the Washington Post and the New York Times. He has taught creative writing at university across the US., has won many awards and published ...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr
My guest today is Rishi Dastidar who is a poet and editor based in London. Rishi discusses his own particular view of Larkin’s portrayal of Englishness in both his letters and his poetry, Larkin’s contemporaries such as TS Eliot and Alan Bennett, and the vibrant role poetry plays in the UK’s cultural landscape. Rishi Dastidar’s poetry has been published by the Financial Times, The Guardian and BBC and more. He is a fellow of The Complete Works, and a consulting editor at The Rialto magazine. A p...
Jan 24, 2025•59 min
Reading Larkin’s poetry Eddie Dawes - The Trees (Aug 2022) Graham Chesters- The First Thing (Aug 2021) David Quantick - Days (Aug 22) Imtiaz Dharker - Broadcast (Aug 22) Martin Jennings - High Windows (Aug 24) Nominated by Graham Chesters Hans Rutten introducing and reading An April Sunday Brings the Snow in English and Dutch (Aug 21) Richard Johnson- Sad Steps (Aug 21) Sally Button- To The Sea (Aug 21) Joe Riley - Church Going (Aug 24) Devon Allison- Cut Grass (Aug 24) Nominated by Chris Sewart...
Dec 10, 2024•1 hr 19 min
Our guest today is Kate Romano . Kate is the CEO of arts centre Stapleford Granary which recently dedicated a whole weekend to celebrating many different aspects of Philip Larkin’s life, photography, jazz and poetry. Gavin and I were lucky enough to be able to head down there and enjoy the events as well as running a PLS stall in the middle of it all, talking about all things Larkin to the good people of Cambridgeshire. Kate joined me to reflect back on the weekend and what she learned about Lar...
Oct 25, 2024•47 min
They might not meant to, but they do... Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin's poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this final episode of the summer, Joe heads out with his daughter and reads This Be The Verse. Please note this episode contains strong language. Music: Feeling Drowsy by Henry Allen Junior and his Orchestra (1929) Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Gavin Hogg and Joe Riley Plea...
Aug 23, 2024•32 min
Today on the 9th August we celebrate Philip Larkin’s birthday and we read High Windows from start to end, in order to mark the 50th anniversary of Larkin’s final collection. Philip Pullen and Graham Chesters chat to Lyn about High Windows. Please note there is some strong language and challenging themes in the collection. Poems and readers: To the Sea- Lyn Lockwood Deputy Chair of the Philip Larkin Society Sympathy in White Major- Dale Salwak Honorary Vice President of the Philip Larkin Society,...
Aug 09, 2024•1 hr 7 min
That Whitsun, I was late getting away: Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin's poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode, Joe takes his seat on the 11.31 to London Waterloo and reads The Whitsun Weddings. Music: Body and Soul by Coleman Hawkins and his Orchestra Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Gavin Hogg and Joe Riley Please email Lyn at lynlockwood70@yahoo.co.uk with any questions,...
Aug 02, 2024•21 min
Cut grass lies frail... Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin's poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode, Joe ventures out on his school field to read and discuss Cut Grass from High Windows . Music: Sidney Bechet - Si tu vous ma mere (Lonesome) Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Gavin Hogg and Joe Riley Please email Lyn at lynlockwood70@yahoo.co.uk with any questions, comments or sug...
Jul 26, 2024•17 min
Our guest today is Douglas Bell , Professor of English Language Education at the School of Education, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China. Professor Douglas Bell first joined us in April to talk about the 2024 Conference in Hull and kindly stayed on the line to talk to me more widely about Philip Larkin in China. We talk about the reading and translation of Larkin in China, as well as the use of persona and thematic readings of Larkin. We also talk about why Larkin is not a sexist poet, Lark...
Jul 19, 2024•51 min
'Once I am sure there's nothing going on I step inside, letting the door thud shut...' Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin’s poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode he explores Church Going from High Windows. Music: Feeling Drowsy by Henry Allen Jr and His Orchestra Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Gavin Hogg and Joe Riley Please email Lyn at lynlockwood70@yahoo.co.uk with any ...
Jul 12, 2024•26 min
Betty Mackereth was Philip Larkin’s secretary at the library at the University of Hull. They were work colleagues and good friends, growing closer and more intimate, as the years went on. Betty turns 100 on 27th June 2024. We begin with Betty herself in conversation with James Booth when James was beginning his research into his biography of Philip Larkin . James calls her, Larkin’s ‘ageing muse of vitality’. After this, we hear directly from James Booth who spoke Lyn and trustee Philip Pullen a...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 28 min
The trees are coming into leaf Like something almost being said Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin’s poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode he explores The Trees from High Windows Music: In A Mellow Tone by Count Basie Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Gavin Hogg and Joe Riley Please email Lyn at lynlockwood70@yahoo.co.uk with any questions, comments or suggestions for more re...
Jun 21, 2024•18 min
The mower stalled, twice... Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin’s poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode he explores Larkin’s late poem The Mower. Music: Just a Mood (A Blue Mood) by the Teddy Wilson Quartet Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Gavin Hogg and Joe Riley Please email Lyn at lynlockwood70@yahoo.co.uk with any questions, comments or suggestions for more readings for t...
Jun 07, 2024•16 min
Writer Ann Thwaite has a long involvement with the society and with Philip Larkin himself. Ann married Anthony Thwaite when they were both young Oxford graduates. Anthony Thwaite brought Larkin’s poems to the BCC and many publications in his work as an editor. Anthony was Larkin’s executor alongside Andrew Motion, and went on to edit Larkin’s letters and poems. Anthony was the founding President of the Philip Larkin Society until he passed away in 2021 at the age of 90. Ann continues to be an ac...
May 17, 2024•38 min
This episode is all about the 2 PLS conference events that took place on 13-15th March 2024 at the University of Hull. Professor Douglas Bell, now back home in the city of Ningbo in China, reflects on visiting Hull City centre and Cottingham for the first time in over 30 years, having graduated from the University of Hull in 1991. Rachael Galletly, PLS Trustee and merchandise officer talks about speakers David Quantick, Blake Morrison, our actors Daniel Wain and Lynne Harrison, and the contribut...
Apr 19, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Today we are joined by our society President, Rosie Millard. Rosie came to Hull as an undergraduate while Larkin was still librarian at the university and she has maintained close links with Hull ever since. She was made Chair of Hull City of Culture 2017 and appointed OBE in the 2018 New Year Honours List for services in the arts to the city of Hull. Rosie is a writer, broadcaster and arts journalist and is also the chair of BBC Children In Need. In today’s podcast, Rosie and I discuss Solar, M...
Feb 16, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Zachary Leader is Emeritus Professor of English Literature at the University of Roehampton. He grew up in California but has lived in Britain for over fifty years and has dual US/UK citizenship. He was educated at Northwestern University, Trinity College, Cambridge, and Harvard and is the biographer of Kingsley Amis and edited the Letters of Kingsley Amis. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and General Editor of The Oxford History of Life-Writing, a 7-volume series published by OU...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 3 min
The Philip Larkin Society always mark the 2nd of December which is the anniversary of Philip Larkin’s death in 1985. In 2022 we marked the date with the unveiling of a blue plaque in Coventry at Larkin’s birthplace and we held an evening event at Westminster Abbey with poetry readings at the site of his plaque in Poet’s Corner. It felt right to do something a little more informal and closer to home in Hull. This episode is a live recording of the quiz in the Haworth Pub, Hull. Thank you to Honor...
Dec 16, 2023•57 min
In this episode we talk to Beverley based poet Chris Sewart in his second appearance on Tiny in All That Air , and Phil Pullen, trustee of the PLS, who regular listeners will be familiar with from a number of previous episodes. We talk about Chris's poetry and his upcoming performance as the 'warm up' for Roger McGough in Beverley next year (details below). We also discuss Phil's new project for the PLS You-Tube account documenting the Larkin Trail. We end the episode considering three poems fro...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr 43 min
This episode was researched and planned by PLS Trustees Julian Henry and Dr Chris Fletcher, Keeper of Special Collections at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Philip Larkin was a librarian for 42 years. He had no formal training when he set off; he chose the career on the spur of the moment as a 21 year old after leaving university, like many students, without a career in mind. However, he came to be one of the UK's most influential and ground-breaking librarians of the post-war years, and his influ...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min
This talk was given to the Philip Larkin Society in 2010 by Emeritus Reader of American History at the University of Hull, John White. John White is the PLS jazz consultant and along with Trevor Tolley, compiled the wonderful ‘Larkin’s Jazz’ 4 disc CD released on Proper Records. This was part of the Larkin25 commemorative events. The talk is a warm and witty exploration of Larkin’s -sometimes extremely dry- sense of humour taking in camels, Jack Nicholson, raccoon coats and wine that tastes ‘lik...
Aug 09, 2023•46 min
Philip Larkin was just five years old when Hardy died in 1928, but this English poet and novelist was going to have a profound influence on Larkin’s writing. To discuss some of the connections between Larkin and Hardy, Lyn is joined by Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Hull Jane Thomas and composer Arthur Keegan. Thomas Hardy Novels: Jude the Obscure, Far From the Madding Crowd, Jude the Obscure, A Pair of Blue Eyes, Thomas Hardy Collections: The Dynasts, Winter Words, Poems 191...
Jul 14, 2023•1 hr 10 min
This talk was given to the PLS in 2001 by Winifred Dawson. Winifred was born in London, but educated in Belfast which is where she met Larkin when they were both working at Queen’s University Library. Win also went on to write herself and published a biography of Amy Audrey Locke, a muse for the poet WB Yeats. Win opens with a reflection on Larkin’s love for his parents, However, the talk is mainly about Larkin’s relationship with the women in his life: Ruth Bowman, Winifred, Monica Jones, Patsy...
Jun 16, 2023•1 hr 4 min
This episode features a writer who would be familiar not only to Hull residents but also to keen telly watchers, radio listeners and theatre goers across the country. Alan Plater was born in Jarrow in 1935 but having moved to Hull when he was just three years old, the city was pleased to adopt him and he lived there for much of his life. His most famous writing credit was probably Z Cars. Alan Plater was also a huge fan of jazz music and his ITV comedy drama The Beiderbecke Affair staring James ...
May 12, 2023•46 min
At the time of recording this podcast we received the sad news that our founding chairman Professor Eddie Dawes had passed away on the 3rd March 2023 at the age of 97. Gavin and I were very privileged to be able to record the very first Tiny podcast with Eddie at his home in Hull. Eddie was so open to new ideas and ways of doing things. He was so supportive of my crazy idea to have a society podcast and was extremely patient as I fussed around with my microphone and notes. But I knew that Eddie ...
Mar 17, 2023•56 min
Anne Fine gave our Distinguished Guest Lecture at the PLS AGM in 2004 and here we reproduce her talk in its entirety. Anne muses on how she discovered Larkin as a teenager who couldn't resist poems with swear words in, but also how she came to see the connections between Larkin’s poetry and her own life- especially The Trees - as well as her admiration for Larkin the professional writer as a fellow member of the ‘business.’ Anne is best known for children's books, but she also writes for adults....
Feb 24, 2023•44 min
This episode welcomes three Larkin100 trustees to look back on 2022; Graham Chesters, Phil Pullen, and teacher, writer and poet Vicky Foster who has a very particular connection to Hull and the work of Philip Larkin. Vicky Foster Poet Hull Please watch and subscribe; https://www.youtube.com/@thephiliplarkinsociety1930/featured PLS Membership and information: The Philip Larkin Society – Philip Larkin Presented by Lyn Lockwood. Theme music: 'The Horns Of The Morning' by The Mechanicals Band . Buy ...
Dec 31, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 38
This episode features Belfast arts manager Hugh Odling- Smee and PLS trustee Philip Pullen who, as part of his centenary lecture tour, took part in the 2022 Belfast International Arts Festival with a talk on Larkin in Belfast. Hugh and Phil discuss the literary heritage that Belfast enjoys and Larkin’s life in Belfast between 1950 and 1955. Books and writers discussed: A Rumoured City: New Poets from Hull by Douglas Dunn (Editor), Philip Larkin (foreword), (Bloodaxe, 1982) Oxford Book of Twentie...
Nov 18, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 37
