Death of a Poet Episode IV: A Poet-Poacher

John Nicholson takes an epic trip through space and time in his first book of poetry, Airedale in Ancient Times. Amid riots and shootings in Bradford, The Bingley Byron also seems to have perfected the knack of writing for more than one audience at a time.  His celebrations of beer and the outlaw life satisfy the pub crowd, while he courts a wealthy mill owner with his sensational morality tales. But how long can he keep them all happy?

We’ll return with Season 2 of Death of a Poet in March 2027, leading up to a symposium to mark what would have been Tony Harrison’s 90th birthday, and the anniversary of John Nicholson’s death, in April.

Series credits

Presented by Dr RJ Wade

with

Paul BennettDr Adam BridgenDr Vic ClarkeFelix CryerAlex DuxburyTom DuxburyKarl GraveAllan MirfieldConrad NelsonHadley NicholsonSarah PrescottCatherine RobinsonElaine RobinsonHarold RobinsonBarrie RutterSiân ThomasDom Basil Watkins OSBGlyn WatkinsProfessor John Whale

The Bellringers of All Saints Church, BingleyJane CallaghanAnn CossavellaKarl GraveJane LynchHelen Mitchell-HallMary PickenGary PickenPeter Tedder

Hydrophone recordings made on location in the River Aire, Saltaire by Daniel Skevington

Produced and edited by Rowland Thomas

Music

The Farmer’s Boy(Traditional)

Air: ‘O, much lov'd Son, if Death’, from Artaxerxes(Thomas Arne)