Fun Facts Friday: Ernest Dowson

Ernest Dowson (2 August, 1867 – 23 February, 1900) was an English poet, known to be a very gifted writer of the time.

Books by or about Ernest Dowson*

Fun Facts about Ernest Dowson:

1. Ernest Christopher Dowson was born in Lee, England to a family who made a living in the dry-docking business.
2. The future poet attended Queens College, Oxford, but did not graduate. He spent the next six years working in the family business of dry-docking in London.
3. Dowson led a tragic life. His father died in 1894 of tuberculosis, his mother, also suffering from tuberculosis, committed suicide about six months later by hanging, and he was a debt-ridden alcoholic until he died at age 32.
4. Ernest Dowson’s poetry has a theme of regret about passing youth.
5. The Rhymer’s Club, a group of male London poets, was one activity he enjoyed engaging in. Among his peers were W.B. Yeats and Arthur Symons.
6. Dowson wrote for literary magazines, collaborated on novels with Arthur Moore (both unsuccessful), and translated French Fiction.
7. He became infatuated with Adelaide “Missie” Foltinowicz, the daughter of a Polish restaurateur. Missie was 11 years old; Dowson was twice her age. He did wait until she was 15 to propose and was promptly rejected.
8. Margaret Mitchell took the title of her novel Gone with the Wind from Ernest Sownson’s famous poem Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae.
9. The Oxford English Dictionary credits Mr. Dowson with the earliest recorded use of “soccer”.
10. Ernest Christopher died penniless at the homes of his friend, journalist and author Robert Sherard. Mr. Sherard, biographer of Oscar Wilde, found Mr Downson in a wine bar and allowed him to spend his last six weeks in Caford.

Books by or about Ernest Dowson*

Zohar – Man of la Book
*Ama­zon links point to an affil­i­ate account, the money is usually spent on books

Sources:

Dowson, Ernest Christopher | Encyclopedia.com

Ernest Dowson | Wikipedia

Ernest Dowson | Poetry Foundation

Ernest Dowson: British poet | Britannica