Douglas Dunn obituary: Poet and teacher who wrote about class and grief
Renowned Scottish poet and academic Douglas Dunn has passed away at the age of 83. Known for his work on working-class life and his mentorship under Philip Larkin, Dunn was a significant figure in post-war British literature.
Why it matters
Dunn's death marks the loss of a major voice in Scottish literature whose work bridged the gap between academic poetry and the realities of working-class experience.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Craig Williams BBC Scotland Getty Images The poet and academic Douglas Dunn, whose work covered working-class lives, Scottish history and landscapes, as well as his grief over the death of his first wife, has died aged 83.
Dunn was born in Inchinnan in Renfrewshire, and grew up in a council estate in the village. He left school to train as a librarian and, after working in Glasgow and the United States, studied English Literature as a mature student in Hull.
He was mentored there by the poet Philip Larkin, who both encouraged his writing and employed him as a librarian.
Dunn would go on to win the Whitbread Prize and the Queen's Medal for Poetry and was appointed an OBE in 2003.
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