Works of John Betjeman


was a twentieth-century English poet, writer and broadcaster. Born to a middle-class family in Edwardian Hampstead, he attended Oxford University, although left without graduating. He turned down a position in the family furniture business, and instead took a series of jobs before becoming the assistant editor of The Architectural Review in 1931, which reflected a deeply held affection for buildings and their history. That same year he published his first book, Mount Zion, a collection of poems.
In 1932 Betjeman began a career in broadcasting, with a radio programme about the proposed destruction of Waterloo Bridge; he continued with regular radio work for the rest of his life, appearing in a wide range of genres, from panel and game shows, interviews, news interviews, documentaries and poetry readings. He published his first non-verse book in 1933, Ghastly Good Taste, which was subtitled "a Depressing Story of the Rise and Fall of English Architecture"; it reflected his concern of the destruction of Victorian and Edwardian architecture to make way for "grimmer contemporary developments, shopping arcades, and bogus Tudor bars". In 1937—shortly after the BBC began regular screen broadcasts—he appeared in his first television programme, How to Make a Guidebook, and went on to appear in a wide range of programmes until his death. His television appearances increased from the 1950s, and his output was prolific.
In 1960 Betjeman was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which was followed in 1968 with his election as a Companion of Literature. In 1969 he was knighted and, in 1972, he succeeded Cecil Day-Lewis as Britain's Poet Laureate. In the later years of his life, Betjeman suffered from Parkinson's disease, and he died in May 1984. His obituarist in The Times thought him "a true original", and considered that he was "whimsical, imprudent, shrewd, humorous, disarming, always something of an enfant terrible. The poet Philip Larkin wrote that Betjeman "was not only the best loved poet, but one of the best loved men of our time", while his biographer, the academic John Clarke, described him as a "unique figure in twentieth-century English poetry, enjoying a degree of fame and success unequalled by any poet since Byron".

Verse

Radio

Betjeman was broadcast in numerous radio performances, although no full record exists. Most were on British radio, although he also made recordings for American radio.
BroadcastDateChannelNotes
BBC National Programme
BBC National Programme
BBC National Programme
BBC National Programme
BBC London Programme
BBC London Programme
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Regional Programme
Town Tours – 24 June 1937BBC West of England ProgrammeSix episodes
BBC National Programme
Eccentrics: "Adolphus Cooke Esq of Cookesborough"BBC Regional ProgrammeThe producer of the programme was Guy Burgess
BBC West of England Programme
BBC West of England Programme
BBC West of England Programme
BBC West of England Programme
BBC West of England Programme
Western Worthies: "The Parson Hawker of Morwenstow"BBC West of England Programme
Built to Last – 27 June 1939BBC Regional ProgrammeSix episodes
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Home ServiceBetjeman read excerpts of Oscar Wilde's work
BBC Home Service
Book Talk: "Yesterday's Fiction"BBC Home Service
Book Talk: "Wartime Tastes in Reading"BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
Book TalkBBC Home Service
Country Magazine: "Padstow and St Merryn, Cornwall"BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
Western Men: "Sabine Baring-Gould"BBC West of England Home Service
BBC Home Service
Literature in the West: "Augustus Toplady"BBC West of England Home Service
West-Country Short Story: "Move with the Times"BBC Home Service
Living Writers: "Evelyn Waugh"BBC Third Programme
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Third Programme
BBC Third Programme
BBC Home Service
New Books and Old BooksBBC Light Programme
Three in Hand: "St Protus and St Hyacinth, Blisland, Cornwall"BBC West of England Home Service
Three in Hand: "St John the Baptist, Mildenhall, Wiltshire"BBC West of England Home Service
Three in Hand: "St Mark's, Swindon, Wiltshire"BBC West of England Home Service
New Books and Old BooksBBC Light Programme
Buildings and Places: "Padstow"BBC Third Programme
BBC Light Programme
BBC West of England Home Service
Coast and Country – 27 September 1949BBC West of England Home ServiceSeries one; nine episodes
It Begins at Home: "St Petroc"BBC West of England Home Service
BBC Third Programme
BBC Third ProgrammeBetjeman reads a selection of his own poetry
BBC Third ProgrammeBetjeman reads a selection of his own poetry
BBC West of England Home Service
BBC West of England Home Service
BBC West of England Home Service
BBC West of England Home Service
BBC West of England Home Service
BBC Third Programme
BBC West of England Home Service
BBC Third Programme
BBC West of England Home Service
BBC Third Programme
Coast and Country – 29 September 1950BBC West of England Home ServiceSeries two; five episodes
BBC Third Programme
BBC Home Service
BBC Third Programme
BBC Home Service
BBC Home ServiceAn appeal for the restoration fund of St Mary's Church, Mildenhall
BBC Home Service
For Your Book List: "William Barnes"BBC West of England Home Service
Let's Go – 20 September 1951BBC Light ProgrammeBetjeman broadcast in seven episodes of the programme
BBC Home Service
BBC West of England Home Service
Coast and County – 23 August 1951BBC West of England Home ServiceSeries three; five episodes
– 22 December 1957BBC Home ServiceBetjeman broadcast in 30 episodes of the programme
BBC Home Service
Three in Hand: "Kelmscott Manor"BBC Home Service
BBC Third Programme
Three in Hand: "Cardiff Castle"BBC Home Service
BBC Midland and West of England Home ServiceTo mark the centenary of Augustus Pugin
Woman's HourBBC Light Programme
Evening ServiceBBC Home Service
BBC North of England Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Midlands Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Midlands Home Service
Desert Island DiscsBBC Radio 4
BBC London Calling Asia
Foreigners – 13 December 1955BBC Home ServiceSeries of three programmes
– 27 December 1955BBC Home ServiceBetjeman broadcast in four episodes of the programme
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
Woman's HourBBC Light Programme
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Midlands Home Service
BBC West of England Programme
BBC Midlands Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Network Three
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
John Betjeman: Poet, Connoisseur and Churchwarden – 14 November 1958BBC General Overseas ServiceSeries of three programmes
BBC Third ProgrammeBetjeman reads a selection of his own poetry
Woman's HourBBC Light Programme
BBC Midlands Home Service
TodayBBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
In Town TonightBBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC General Overseas Service
BBC General Overseas Service
BBC General Overseas Service
Summoned by Bells – 28 November 1960BBC Third ProgrammeSeries one; three programmes
BBC Network Three
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC West of England Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC South and West Home Service
BBC Light Programme
BBC Home Service
Woman's HourBBC Light Programme
In Town TonightBBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC General Overseas Service
West of England Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Third Programme
BBC Home Service
BBC Home ServiceBetjeman introduced the programme, which consisted of his poetry set to music
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Third Programme
The NewsBBC Home ServiceBetjeman offered an appreciation on T. S. Eliot
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Third ProgrammeAn appreciation of T.E. Brown
Britain's Cathedrals and Their Music – 1 April 1966BBC Radio 3Series of 19 programmes
BBC Third Programme
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
BBC Third Programme
Choirs and the Places Where They Sing – 29 October 1967BBC Radio 3Series of nine programmes
Scenes That Are Brightest – 23 March 1969BBC Radio 4Series of four programmes
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
Poetry Prom – 25 August 1976BBC Radio 4Betjeman appeared in nine episodes
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
Desert Island DiscsBBC Radio 4
Sweet Songs of Zion – 14 September 1975BBC Radio 4Series one; six episodes
Sir John Betjeman: Earlier and Later Loves – 17 December 1975BBC Radio 4Series of six programmes
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
Sweet Songs of Zion – 12 September 1976BBC Radio 4Series two; 11 episodes
KaleidoscopeBBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
KaleidoscopeBBC Radio 4
Sweet Songs of Zion – 6 September 1978BBC Radio 4Series three; six episodes
KaleidoscopeBBC Radio 4
Summoned by BellsBBC Radio 3
Summoned by BellsBBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
Woman's HourBBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
Bookshelf: "The Poems of John Betjeman"BBC Radio 4Included an interview with Betjeman

Books

TitleYear of first
publication
First edition publisher
Notes
Ghastly Good TasteChapman & Hall
DevonArchitectural PressPart of the Shell Guides series
John Miles
Co-author with Hugh Casson
Antiquarian PrejudiceHogarth Press
Vintage LondonWilliam Collins, Sons
English Cities and Small TownsWilliam Collins, Sons
John PiperPenguin Books
Five Sermons by LaymenSt Matthew's Church, NorthamptonCo-authored with C. S. Lewis and others
Murray's Buckinghamshire Architectural GuideJohn MurrayCo-authored with John Piper
Murray’s Berkshire Architectural GuideJohn MurrayCo-authored with John Piper
Studies in the History of SwindonSwindon Borough Council, SwindonCo-authored with L. V. Grinsell, H. B. Wells and H. S. Tallamy
Shropshire – with maps and illustrationsFaber & FaberPart of the Shell Guides series
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
First and Last LovesJohn Murray
Gala Day LondonHarvill Secker
Cambridge University Press, CambridgeThe Rede Lecture
Some Immortal HoursJohn MurrayTwenty copies
Collins Guide to English Parish Churches, including the Isle of ManWilliam Collins, Sons
Ground Plan to City SkylineNewman NeamePublished under the name "Richard M Farren"
Clifton College BuildingsVista Books
English ChurchesVista BooksCo-authored with Basil Clarke
Pitkin PictorialsOne of Pitkin Pride of Britain series
Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish ChurchesCollins PublishersTwo volumes
Victorian and Edwardian London From Old PhotographsBatsford Books
Ten Wren ChurchesEditions ElectorLimited edition of 100 copies
Victorian and Edwardian Brighton From Old PhotographsBatsford BooksCo-authored with J.S. Gray
John Murray
London's Historic Railway StationsJohn Murray
Victorian and Edwardian Oxford From Old PhotographsBatsford BooksCo-authored with David Vaisey
West Country ChurchesSociety of Sts Peter & Paul
Church Literature Association
Victorian and Edwardian Cornwall From Old PhotographsBatsford BooksCo-authored with A. L. Rowse
Archie and the Strict BaptistsJohn Murray
Metro-landWarren Editions
John Betjeman's Letters: Volume OneMethuen PublishingEdited and introduced by Betjeman's daughter, Candida Lycett Green
John Betjeman's Letters: Volume TwoMethuen PublishingEdited and introduced by Betjeman's daughter, Candida Lycett Green
John Betjeman Coming HomeMethuen Publishing
Trains and Buttered Toast: Betjeman's best BBC radio talksJohn MurrayEdited and introduced by Stephen Games
Tennis Whites and Teacakes: An anthology of Betjeman's prose, verse and occasional writingJohn MurrayEdited and introduced by Stephen Games
Sweet Songs of Zion: Betjeman's radio programmes about English hymn-writingHodder & StoughtonEdited and introduced by Stephen Games
Betjeman's England: Betjeman's best topographical television programmesJohn MurrayEdited and introduced by Stephen Games

Editor

Betjeman undertook the role of editor for several magazines and journals, including the undergraduate magazines of Oxford Outlook and Cherwell; the following consists of the books he edited.
TitleYear of first
publication
AuthorFirst edition publisher
Notes
Cornwall IllustratedArchitectural PressPart of the Shell Guides series
English Scottish and Welsh Landscape 1700–1860VariousFrederick Muller Ltdwith Geoffrey Taylor
Watergate Children's ClassicsVariousWatergate Classics
English Love PoemsVariousFaber and Faberwith Geoffrey Taylor; also a contributor
McDowell, Obolensky, New York
Altar and Pew: Church of England VersesVariousE Hulton & Co
Rupert Hart-DavisAlso wrote introduction
VariousBlackwell Publishing, Oxfordwith Winnifred Hindley
Selected PoemsJohn MasefieldHeinemann

Television

ProgrammeDateChannelRoleNotes
How to Make a Guidebook21 September 1937BBCPresenter
Tactile Bee20 December 1938BBCParticipant
Longleat20 June 1949BBCAs a consultant only
Readers and Writers5 June 1951BBCCo-presenter
Conversation Piece2 March 1954BBCPresenter
Where on Earth?8 July 1954BBCTraveller
Music From the Castle17 October 1954BBCCommentator
Christian Forum21 November 1954BBCParticipant
Wells Cathedral1 April 1955BBCPresenter
Panorama25 April 1955BBCParticipant
St Paul's Cathedral29 May 1955BBCNarrator
Panorama29 May 1955BBCParticipant
Discovering Britain23 September 1955 – 30 March 1956ITVPresenterSeries of 17 short films, on behalf of Shell Oil; also writer
Panorama5 December 1955BBCParticipant
Robert Adam: Architect to an Age of Elegance31 January 1956BBCPresenter
Church in Action27 August 1956BBCPresenter
9 July 1957 – 5 September 1957BBCPresenterSeries of six programmes
Tonight16 September 1957BBCInterviewee
Youth Wants to Know3 December 1957ITVParticipant
Press Conference17 January 1958BBCParticipant
About Religion19 January 1958ITVParticipant
Press Conference14 March 1958BBCParticipant
Meeting Point8 June 1958 – 29 August 1965BBCParticipantBetjeman appeared in nine episodes of the programme
Panorama30 June 1958BBCParticipant
Tonight8 December 1958BBCInterviewee
About Religion8 December 1958ITVParticipant
Mainly for Women: Wednesday Magazine18 February 1959BBCParticipant
Monitor: John Betjeman, A Poet in London1 March 1959BBCParticipant
Tonight6 March 1959BBCParticipant
6 July 1959BBCParticipant
Beauty in Trust4 August 1959BBCNarratorAlso writer
Viewpoint9 September 1959BBCParticipant
Viewpoint4 November 1959BBCParticipant
Journey into a Lost WorldBBCNarratorAlso writer
Remembering Summer19 January 1960BBCParticipant
Monitor28 February 1960BBCParticipant
26 June 1960BBCNarrator
John Betjeman as the Book Man11 September 1960 – 8 January 1961ITVPresenterSeries of nine programmes
About Religion18 September 1960ITVParticipant
Wednesday Magazine30 November 1960 – 6 December 1961BBCParticipantBetjeman made four appearances in the series
John Betjeman and the Book Man8 January 1961ITVPresenter
John Betjeman Goes by Train17 April 1961BBCPresenter
Enjoying LifeBBCPresenterProduced by the Labour Party
Steam and Stained Glass2 April 1962 – 16 April 1962ITVPresenterSeries of three programmes
Perspective on Eccentricity31 May 1962BBCPresenter
In View: Men of Steam26 September 1962BBCPresenterAlso writer
Perspective17 January 1963BBCParticipant
Sing a Song of Sixpence22 January 1963 – 19 February 1963ITVPresenterSeries of three programmes
Let's Imagine a Branch Line Railway29 March 1963BBCPresenter
17 July 1963BBCParticipant
Seeing and Believing: In Populous City Pent6 October 1963BBCReader
One Man's Country22 January 1964BBCPresenter
Something About in Diss25 March 1964BBCNarrator
High Mass26 July 1964BBCParticipant
Writer's World5 October 1964BBCParticipant
Monitor15 December 1964BBCPresenter
Panorama21 December 1964BBCParticipant
Christmas Carols24 December 1964BBCPresenter
Swann, Wallace and Betjeman25 December 1964BBCParticipant
Monitor29 December 1964BBCParticipant
3 March 1965BBCPresenter
Muses with Milligan3 March 1965BBCParticipant
Pity About the Abbey29 July 1965BBCCo-writerPlay, co-written with Stewart Farrar
BBC 329 January 1966BBCGuest
Late Show London18 February 1966Interviewee
19 April 1966BBCPresenter
Footprints15 May 1966BBCNarratorAlso writer
Late Night Line-Up31 July 1966BBCInterviewee
Betjeman at Random1 August 1966 – 22 August 1966ITVInterviewerSeries of four programmes
Pride of Place1 August 1966 – 20 August 1967BBCParticipantSeries of nine programmes
2 December 1966ITVInterviewee
9 December 1966BBCPresenter
Journey to Bethlehem26 December 1966BBCPresenter
Betjeman's London14 August 1967 – 18 September 1967BBCPresenterSeries of six programmes
10 October 1967BBCPresenter
6 December 1967ITVInterviewee
25 December 1967BBCNarratorAlso written by Betjeman
Contrasts31 January 1968BBCPresenter
Aida5 February 1968BBCPresenter
Omnibus2 April 1968BBCParticipant
Summer '678 April 1968BBCNarrator
26 May 1968ITVParticipant
27 August 1968ITVParticipant
Release: The Weekly Arts Magazine26 October 1968BBCParticipant
Viewpoint14 November 1968BBCParticipant
Frost on Saturday30 November 1968ITVInterviewee
Contrasts17 December 1968BBCPresenterAlso writer
Bird's-Eye View: The Englishman's Home5 April 1969 – 18 April 1971BBCPresenterSeries of 13 programmes
10 April 1969BBCNarrator
Four with Betjeman29 June 1970 – 20 July 1970BBCPresenterSeries of four programmes
Late Night Line-Up26 October 1970BBCPresenter
Look Stranger: Ellan Vannin10 December 1970BBCPresenter
24 December 1970BBCPresenter
Aquarius26 December 1970ITVPresenter
That Well-Known Store in Knightsbridge1 June 1971BBCPresenter
On Camera: Historic Houses13 July 1971BBCParticipant
Summer Review13 August 1971BBCPresenter
Omnibus: "Happy Birthday, Dear Albert"12 September 1971BBCPresenter
Treasures of the British Museum24 November 1971ITVPresenter
Railways Forever1 June 1972BBCPresenter
Collector's World15 August 1972BBCParticipant
Betjeman in Australia13 September 1972 – 4 October 1972BBCPresenterSeries of four programmes
Thank God it's Sunday10 December 1972 & 17 December 1972BBCNarrator
Parkinson17 February 1973BBCInterviewee
Metro-Land26 February 1973BBCPresenterAlso writer
Up Sunday27 May 1973BBCParticipant
16 September 1973BBCGuest
Nationwide19 March 1974BBCInterviewee
Aquarius26 May 1974ITVParticipant
7 December 1974BBCNarratorAlso writer
Sir John Betjeman15 June 1975BBCPresenterFive-minute appeal on behalf of St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast
30 September 1975BBCPresenter
Just a Nimmo28 January 1976BBCInterviewee
Vicar of the Parish29 July 1976BBCNarratorAlso writer
Summoned by Bells29 August 1976BBCPresenterAlso writer
Betjeman's Belfast12 November 1976BBCPresenter
22 December 1976BBCPresenter
Anyone for Tennyson?16 March 1977Nebraska Educational TelecommunicationsPresenter
Betjeman and Friends12 April 1977 & 19 April 1977ITVPresenter
31 May 1977BBCPresenterAlso writer
Parkinson5 November 1977BBCInterviewee
6 January 1978BBCParticipant
Read All About It2 April 1978BBCInterviewee
John Betjeman's Dublin30 November 1978BBCPresenterAlso writer
17 January 1979 & 21 February 1979BBCParticipant
Tonight in Town1 June 1979BBCParticipant
Arena: "Private Life of the Ford Cortina"19 January 1982BBCParticipant
Time with Betjeman13 February 1983 – 27 March 1983BBCParticipantSeries of seven programmes
4 May 1984BBCParticipant

Discography

AlbumYearLabelNotes
Argo Records
London Talking Book Co
Betjeman Reads BetjemanArgo Records
Banana BlushVirgin RecordsWith musical accompaniment from Jim Parker
Late Flowering LoveVirgin RecordsWith musical accompaniment from Jim Parker
Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy TalesPye RecordsBetjeman and Dame Edith Evans reading the stories
Elizabeth II: The Woman and the QueenArgo Records
Argo Records
Sir John Betjeman's BritainVirgin RecordsWith musical accompaniment from Jim Parker
Varsity RagVirgin RecordsWith musical accompaniment from Jim Parker