Tennyson, Alfred, Baron Tennyson

Tennyson, Alfred, Baron Tennyson (1809-92), poet, b. Somersby, Lincolnshire, England.

Lord Tennyson began writing poetry as a student at Cambridge University and won a medal for one of his poems.

His first book of poems was published when he was twenty-one and two volumes published in 1842 made him famous.

Eight years later, he produced his great poem, In Memoriam, and Queen Victoria made him the official poet of Britain, the Poet Laureate.

Among Tennyson's best-known works are The Charge of the Light Brigade and a series of poems about King Arthur, Idylls of the King.

He admired Shakespeare and as an old man wrote plays in verse.

He died with his hand resting on a copy of Shakespeare's works, and is buried in Westminster Abbey.