Works of poet published on new website (From Warrington Guardian)

Works of poet published on new website

2:10pm Wednesday 8th August 2012 in News

THE complete works of a former Warrington resident who once wrote a poem for the prime minister has been commemorated on a website.

Richard Browne was born in 1916 and spent more than 40 years living in the town, with his poems published regularly in the Warrington Guardian.

He was nominated by a group of MPs to become Poet Laureate in 1966 and later wrote a poem for Labour leader and Prime Minister at the time, Harold Wilson.

Since his death in 1995, daughter Jo Cleminson has been determined to gather his work in one collection, leading to the launch of theforgottenpoet.co.uk.

The Locking Stumps resident said: “I remember he always had an audience when I was child and people always enjoyed his work.

“I promised him before he died I would gather all his work in one collection.”

Richard, who lived in Orford, Latchford and Penketh, first began writing poetry as a boy.

After marrying wife Nora in 1941 he was called up to serve in the Army during the Second World War and was stationed in Iceland.

He sent more than 150 letters to his wife, many including poetry written for her and wrapped in ribbons.

Richard was then diagnosed with Rheumatic fever and he returned to Warrington.

The couple moved to Oldham Street, Latchford after Jo was born where his passion for poetry continued with work praised by a range of contemporaries, including Peter Wright, a former editor of the Daily Mail.

But the father-of-two suffered a stroke in 1986 which left him brain damaged. All proceeds from the website will go to The Stroke Association.

“After the stroke was very hard because he was paralysed down the right hand side of his body,” said Jo.

“It was hard because he was such an articulate man.”

Despite the paralysis Richard managed to write one more poem for Nora, called ‘To Compare Thee’ in which he tells his wife why she is like a rose.

Jo said the writing was so small she needed a magnifying glass to read it.

“He was a wonderful man and a wonderful father,” she said.

“I don’t think you’ll find anyone who’ll say a bad word about him.”

To read Richard’s work go to theforgottenpoet.co.uk. A donation is required.