Francis Turner Palgrave Blue Plaque

About This Blue Plaque

Francis Turner Palgrave was an esteemed English critic and poet, best known for compiling the influential poetry anthology “The Golden Treasury of English Songs and Lyrics”. Born in 1824 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, Palgrave grew up in a literary family. His father was Sir Francis Palgrave, a prominent historian and archivist.

Palgrave was educated at Charterhouse School and Balliol College, Oxford, where he excelled academically. After completing his studies, he worked as a private secretary to William Gladstone, who would later become Prime Minister. Palgrave’s passion for literature and poetry led him to compile “The Golden Treasury” in 1861, a collection that became a standard work and introduced many readers to the finest English lyrical poems from the Elizabethan era to his own time.

From 1862 to 1875, Palgrave resided at 5 York Gate in London’s picturesque Regent’s Park, located in the Borough of Camden. This elegant area, developed in the early 19th century by renowned architect John Nash, provided a fitting backdrop for Palgrave’s literary pursuits. During his time at York Gate, Palgrave continued to write, edit, and critique, cementing his reputation as a leading figure in the Victorian literary world.

Palgrave’s other notable works include “The Children’s Treasury of English Song”, “Landscape in Poetry”, and several volumes of his own poetry. He also served as a Professor of Poetry at Oxford University from 1885 to 1895. Palgrave’s contributions to English literature, particularly his discerning eye for poetic excellence, have left an enduring legacy. He passed away in 1897, but his influence lives on through the countless readers who have discovered the joys of poetry through “The Golden Treasury”.