William Wordsworth was born in 1770 in the market-town of Cockermouth, Cumbria, and educated at Hawkshead Grammar School and St John's College, Cambridge. During his twenties he witnessed the French Revolution at first hand and became a staunch republican. His collaboration with Coleridge in 1797-1798 (The annus mirabilis) produced some of his greatest poems, including Lyrical Ballads and The Prelude. He settled at Dove Cottage, Grasmere, and would reside in the English Lake District for the rest of his life. He became Poet Laureate to Queen Victoria in 1843 and died in 1850.

For a supreme treasure trove of all things Wordsworthian, contact

The Wordsworth Trust,
Dove Cottage,
Grasmere,
Cumbria
LA22 9SH

Or find them online at http://www.wordsworth.org.uk.