Sir John - world famous poet yet almost forgotten in Torquay

Born in London on August 28, 1906, John Betjemann was the only son of cabinet maker Ernest Betjemann whose family had emigrated from Holland. As a youth John knew the family business held no interest to him - he wished only to write poetry. At Marlborough School he adopted a tone of voice of the buffoon in an endeavour to keep school bullies at bay and later he left Oxford in spite of having strong religious views, failed at Divinity.
Having been 'dragooned to play a game of cricket' fear had seen him arrive on the pitch with layers of newspaper stuffed down his arms and legs (a Michelin Man) making it impossible to walk, let alone run. He had toyed with homosexuality and as an unpublished work at the British Library confirms 'Electric currents racing through my frame was this the love that dare not speak its name' being a line from the Oscar Wilde poem concerning his infamous affair with one Lord Alfred Douglas.
Yet eventually Betjemann dropped the extra 'n' from his surname and in pursuing the fairer sex forever clowned being 'timorousness to attract women' who seemed to love offering protective instincts to a gentle man. He first came to St Marychurch as a child and later was resident here twice, although spent most holidays in Cornwall although always returned to London. He enjoyed mixing with the aristocracy and even around the fringes of the Royal family.
Letters written at the Hydro Hotel (today the Headland Hotel) in Torquay confirm long stays in Torquay before eventually a woman who loved horses, art, writing, and men called John entered his life in 1928. He became her third John and Penelope Chetwode' and he married even though her father (a retired Commander in Chief of the Indian Army) observed 'we ask people like that to our houses we don’t marry them'. Later when John asked how he should address him he just replied 'Field Marshall'. Having married Penelope at Edmonton Register Office in 1933 they then honeymooned at a local London pub. She then immediately departed for Berlin to continue research on Indology and on return found Betjeman had already had an affair with Molly Higgins the new maid. Although forgiven for this indiscretion, later infidelities were not so easily dismissed.
In the Second World War John Betjeman worked for the Ministry of Information as a Press attache in Dublin and during those years more affairs occurred like Alice Jennings who inspired his poem 'In a Bath Tea Shop' and then Miss Joan Dunn who was immortalised in his poem 'A Subalterns Love Song' after they had played what was described as 'a hot afternoon of tennis'.
The Betjeman's home became a farmhouse at Uffington (in horse country) yet forever wanting extra heat John regularly 'fled back' to London. Their children Paul and Candida were solely raised by Penelope until in 1947 she decided to convert to Catholicism even though knowing John would likely leave. Indeed by 1950 having met Elizabeth Cavendish (twenty years his junior and sister of the Duke of Devonshire) a new affair commenced that which would last for life.
Another affair emerged after the death of a secret lover Margi Geddes. This had been in 1960/70’s but only merged after Margi's death at age 98 in 2006. Having discovered a hundred love letters under her bed her son was left strict instructions the world should be informed after her death. Johns' passion was legendary and Penelope nicknamed him once 'Philth' although later changed this to Plymmie - his beloved river.
Today his poetry appeals to most academics and he was Knighted in 1969 before being named Poet Laureate in 1976 by Queen Elizabeth II. Years of poor health now finally caught up with him and Sir John died at his beloved home at Trebetherick Cornwall on May 19, 1984 at age 77.