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Poet's Hall, Kirkby Stephen
Poet's Hall
locality:-   Kirkby Stephen
civil parish:-   Kirkby Stephen (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   buildings
1Km square:-   NY7708 (?) 
10Km square:-   NY70
evidence:-   old print:- 
placename:-  Kirkby Stephen
item:-  Close
source data:-   Print, uncoloured engraving, Poet Close at His Desk, cartoon of John Close, printer and poet, Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, 1870s-80s?
image  click to enlarge
PR0653.jpg
printed at bottom:-  "POET CLOSE AT HIS DESK."
printed at left middle:-  "NEW LAKE BOOK / 15TH. 1000 / SECOND E[DIT]ION"
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2008.107.597
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old print:- 
placename:-  Poet's Hall
item:-  tea
item:-  Close
item:-  table
source data:-   Print, uncoloured engraving, Punch at Tea with Poet Close, cartoon of John Close, printer and poet, Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, 1870s-80s?
image  click to enlarge
PR0654.jpg
On the reverse is part of one of his poems; and an advertisement:- 
FOR THE FINEST, BEST, &STRONGEST TEA IN KIRKBY STEPHEN, Try Mrs. Close's, at Poet's Hall, Only 2s. 6d. Per lb. 
printed at bottom:-  "Punch at Tea with Poet Close; his Daughter pulls his Nose!"
image  click to enlarge
PR0655.jpg
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2008.107.598
Image © see bottom of page
hearsay:-  
 In his Ninth Christmas Book, 1878-79, John Close describes himself:-
"With legs across, upon his chair,
And Lakes Books in his hand,
His anxious eyes cast everywhere,
In search of a demand,
Sits Poet Close beneath the yews"
... selling his books of verse. He had "not a spark of literary talent of any kind".
personal
person:-   poet; printer
 : Close, John; Poet Close
place:-   home
date:-   1870
 to 1889
period:-   19th century, late
period:-   1870s
period:-   1880s
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