Jean Hartley reads Philip Larkin's 'The Trees' and 'High Windows'

Jean Hartley (1933-2011)

Jean Hartley (née Holland) was born in Hull in 1933. She married in 1953, and with her husband, George Hartley, founded the poetry magazine 'Listen', the Marvell Press, and Listen Records. Their first book publication was Philip Larkin's 'The Less Deceived' (1955).

In 1968 the Hartleys separated, and Jean became a student in the English Department at Hull University. After graduating she taught at Amy Johnson School, later lecturing at the Hull College of Further Education. She retired in 1989, the year that her autobiography, 'Philip Larkin, the Marvell Press, and Me', was published.

Jean Hartley was a founder member of The Philip Larkin Society in 1995 (and edited the Society's journal 'About Larkin' between 1996 and 1999 and again,with Maeve Brennan, in 2003). Also in 1995, she published 'Philip Larkin's Hull and East Yorkshire', a guidebook upon which the recently launched Larkin Trail was based; and, over the years, acted as a guide for many groups, journalists and individual Larkin enthusiasts around the Larkin-related sites she identifies in the book.

Jean was a consistent advocate for the artistic and cultural potential of the City of Hull and its people. She was in constant demand for her experience, knowledge and insight, and was equally at home taking her message to young people at the Larkin Society's School Study Days or presenting talks about her life to the mature students of the U3A.

Always the first person journalists, researchers and programme makers wanted to talk to with regard to Philip Larkin and his life and times spent in Hull, she always somehow managed to accommodate them, contributing significantly to major Larkin-related TV documentaries and dramatisations, such as 'Love and Death in Hull' and 'Love Again', as well as various radio programmes. She had a significant corrective influence on Larkin's reputation following the publication of the 'Life' and the 'Selected Letters'.

More recently, Jean played a crucial and influential role as a member of the Larkin25 Steering Group in the preparations leading up to the 2010 commemorative activities, including campaigning with passion and vigour for the commissioning of a Philip Larkin statue.

Jean was an accomplished artist in her own right, having exhibited her work on many occasions. In January 2011, Jean was the recipient of a Doctor of Letters honorary degree from the University of Hull. At the time of her death she was Deputy Chairman of The Philip Larkin Society. Jean passed away peacefully at home.

She will be dearly remembered and greatly missed.

Jim Orwin (20 July 2011)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jean Hartley
• Philip Larkin
• The Trees
• High Windows

[julesthemadman]

Another of Larkin's confidantes gone...