John Clare

John Clare (1793-1864) is probably Northamptonshire's best known native poet. Sometimes known as 'The Northamptonshire Peasant Poet', he did not come from a literary background. His father, Parker Clare, was an agricultural labourer and when his parents married John's mother, Anne Stimpson, inscribed her mark in the register.

Biographies

• John Clare by Eric H Robinson [2004]
• Life and Remains of John Clare by J L Cherry [1873]
• The Life of John Clare by Frederick Martin [1865]

Articles

Relevant articles that have been published in Northamptonshire Past & Present are:

• A Poem by John Clare [1965] (page 274) Image and transcript of 'Spring Violets', a previously unpublished poem.
• John Clare's Gypsies by Angus Fraser [1970] (page 259)
• John Clare's Last Journey by Trevor Hold [1980] (page 219) An account of his funeral in 1864.
• John Clare's "Paradise Lost" - and Regained by Robert Shaw [1964] (page 201)
• John Clare: Some Unpublished Documents of the Asylum Period by I M F Hooker & N Dermott Hunt [1964] (page 190)
• John Clare: The Northampton Years by Gyles Isham [1964] (page 185)
• Some Clare Manuscripts at Stratford Saye by Gyles Isham [1964] (page 199)
• The Poet and the Railway Surveyors: An Incident in the life of John Clare by Victor A Hatley [1974] (page 101)

John's poetry is also discussed in:

• John Clare, the peasant poet by Tommy Gilhooly

A notice in Northamptonshire Notes & Queries with the title John Clare and his Friends lists manuscripts and books relating to John Clare, Mrs E L Emmerson and Lord Radstock that were offered for sale in 1884.

Websites

Those concerned with John Clare and his works include the following:

• John Clare Cottage Focuses on the work of the John Clare Trust which curates his cottage at Helpston and runs a Museum there.
• The John Clare Society
• The John Clare Society of North America