Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore (23 July 1823 – 26 November 1896) was an English poet and literary critic. He is best known for his book of poetry The Angel in the House (1854), a narrative poem about the Victorian ideal of a happy marriage.
After the publication of his first book of poems in 1844, he became acquainted with members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. He worked for the British Museum for 19 years, starting in 1846. His grief over the death of his first wife, Emily Augusta Patmore in 1862, became a major theme in his poetry.
Early life
The eldest son of author Peter George Patmore, Patmore was born at Woodford in Essex and was privately educated. The boy was very close to his father Peter and showed an early interest in literature. Patmore's first goal was to become an artist; he earned the silver palette of the Society of Arts in 1838. In 1839, his family sent Patmore to school in France for six months, where he began to write poetry. On his return to England, Peter Patmore planned to publish some of his son's youthful poems; however, Patmore had become interested in science, and set aside writing poetry.
In 1846, with help from Richard Monckton Milnes, Patmore was appointed as the printed book supernumary assistant at the British Museum. He would hold this position for the next 19 years, while devoting his spare time to writing poetry.
In 1847, Patmore married Emily Augusta Andrews, the daughter of Dr. Andrews of Camberwell. By 1851, the couple had two sons: Coventry (born 1848) and Tennyson (born 1850). Three daughters followed – Emily Honoria (born 1853), Bertha (born 1855) and Gertrude (born 1857), before their last child, a son (Henry John), was born in 1860. His wife Emily wrote under the pseudonym of Mrs Motherly. In 1859, she published The Servant's Behaviour Book, or, Hints on Manners and Dress for Maid Servants in Small Households, a conduct book for women in domestic service, written in a clear, practical manner. Nursery Poetry (1859) features lively verses on household matters, while Nursery Tales (1860) is improving and moralistic in tone. She is also considered to have had a significant role in the creation of The Children's Garland (1862), her husband's anthology of poems.
