Wellington town mayor criticises Westminster Abbey honour for Philip Larkin

Larkin, who died in 1985, lived in Wellington in the early 1940s and worked in the town's library. But he hated the experience, describing its inhabitants as "morons" and saying the town should be bombed.

Today, Wellington mayor Phil Morris-Jones said people in the town had not forgotten the poet's cruel words.

All mention of controversial poet Philip Larkin should be removed from Wellington, the town's mayor has said.

Councillor Philip Morris-Jones said Larkin had made "nasty remarks" about the town and therefore had no right to be recognised or remembered locally.

A footpath in the town was named after the poet, but Councillor Morris-Jones said he did not believe Larkin was worthy of such a memorial.

He said he was fully aware his comments, made as it was revealed Larkin is to be given a memorial at Westminster Abbey, would be seen as "controversial" – but said he did not care. He also said the decision to honour Larkin with a memorial at Westminster was a mistake.

Councillor Morris-Jones said: "We in Wellington commemorated him by naming a pathway after him, which I was against at the time.

"I don't mind being a bit controversial but I don't see why a man who insulted Wellington so much should have a street named after him, or even a memorial.

"He made some very nasty remarks about the town but if that's what he thinks of Wellington, well that is what we now think of him.

"Because of the remarks he made I would have to say, why should he given a memorial?

"I think Wellington is great town and with a lot to offer people. So much has been done to improve the town.

"He had a good job when he worked here, as I believe he ran the library, and the people in town always welcomed him.

"And I am sure that if people come to the town they will see how nice the place is. It is a very friendly town."

He opposed the naming of a road in Wellington as Larkin Way – and said he was also against plans to install him in Poets' Corner.

He said: "I didn't agree with the street naming and I'm also against the Abbey memorial. I never understood why he was so nasty about Wellington when he was welcomed by the people of the town."

The Dean of Westminster the Very Reverend Dr John Hall campaigned for Larkin to be included and a memorial will be unveiled in December next year.

He has a very different view of the poet to Philip Morris-Jones, describing him as "one of the great poets of the 20th century in English".

The honour, announced by Westminster Abbey, means a stone dedicated to the writer will join the names of the country's best-loved poets including W H Auden, T S Eliot and William Wordsworth.

During his life, Larkin produced some of the very best of modern verse. But he had nothing good to say about part of his life in the early 1940s when he found himself living in the Shropshire town and working in the library.

Famously, and with a cruel turn of phrase, he described Wellington as a "hole of toad's turds" and suggested it would benefit from being bombed.

As for his £175-a-year role as librarian, Larkin found no solace among the rows of books, saying he his job was just to "hand out tripey novels to morons".

He told friends: "I feel it is not at all a suitable occupation for a man of acute sensibility and genius."

The memorial in Westminster Abbey's Poet's Corner will be unveiled on December 2, 2016, the 31st anniversary of Larkin's death. The last poet to be honoured was Ted Hughes in 2011.

With poems like The Whitsun Weddings and This Be The Verse – which contains his famous musings on "your mum and dad" – Larkin, who died in 1985, is now an established literary figure.

The decision to honour him was made by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr John Hall.

He said: "Philip Larkin is one of the great poets of the 20th century in English and it's been pressed on me by a number of his colleagues and friends that it's the right time to memorialise him."

Prof Edwin Dawes, who chairs the Philip Larkin Society, said Larkin's words were quoted more frequently than those of any of his poetic contemporaries.

The posthumous publication of Larkin's letters gave an unflattering insight into his life and led to accusations of misogyny.

Despite the dent to his reputation, in 2003 Larkin was chosen as the nation's best-loved poet of the last 50 years, in a survey by the Poetry Book Society.

Poet got it wrong when he weighed into Wellington, insist residents

Leave our town alone – that's the verdict of the people of Wellington who have launched a staunch defence of where they live.

Wellingtonians made the comments after hearing news that Philip Larkin was to be given a memorial in Westminster Abbey. Several, said they did not agree with the poet's assertion that Wellington should be bombed.

Jillian Harber, from Dawley Bank, who works at Eden Candles and Gifts in the town centre, said she thinks Wellington has the potential to be a thriving market town. "I think this town is great, there are so many independent shops which attract people to the town," she said.

The 49-year-old also said she disagreed with the comments made by Larkin.

"Maybe his memories of the town aren't great, but when I read the comments it did shock me," the mother-of-five said.

Also defending the town was 44-year-old mother-of-four Dawn Jones from Muxton, who works in the Card Stop shop.

"I like Wellington and I do think it needs a few more big name shops, but I don't agree with the comments this poet made. I haven't worked here long but I do think it is a friendly town. Maybe some improvements could be made as there are a lot of charity shops," she said.

Mrs Jones had her views backed up by her colleague Shirley Kitson.

Miss Kitson from Leegomery, who used to be a teacher said she disagreed with the comments Larkin made, saying they were unfair. "Wellington is an old market town, it relies on the market and I do think it attracts a lot of people into the town.

"It is a very friendly place and it can also be a very lively town, and a lot of people say it is a popular town."

Town councillor Denis Allen has lived in Wellington for 20 years, said: "We must remember that some rumours say Philip Larkin fell out with some people in town causing him to say these things," he said.

"It is believed some ladies in the town rejected him, which is why he made the comments.

"But I don't agree with comments he made as I think the town is a lovely place, we have done a lot to refurbish the town centre to attract more people."

Telford & Wrekin Council refused to let Wellington library staff talk about the subject.