Anniversaries view William Shakespeare's anniversary
A region of great minds that shaped the World. Find out more.
Meet the Lunartiks view the Lunartiks video
The Lunartiks, as they became known, were a society formed by talented individuals from the West Midlands that are today regarded as some of the world's most inspiring and innovative men.
Watch how they shaped the World we live in.
Events view the Lunartiks video
Join in the celebrations by visiting special events and exhibitions throughout 2009.
Houseman
Alfred Houseman - One of the foremost Classical scholars of his time
The renowned English poet, Classical scholar and son of the heart of England Alfred Edward Housman was born and raised in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, in 1859.
Housman is considered one of the foremost Classical scholars of his time, he wrote extensively for Classical journals and prepared editions of the works of the Latin poets Juvenal, Lucan, and Manilius.
You may know Housman best as the author of a few slim volumes of poetry remarkable for their simple diction, lyric beauty, and gentle, ironic pessimism. Set in the English countryside, the poems express the regrets and frustration of young men, especially soldiers. A favourite theme is fleeting youth, as in the famous poem "When I Was One and Twenty".
Housman's first volume of poetry, A Shropshire Lad (1896), was hugely popular during World War I. A series of 63 nostalgic verses, it is now the work for which Housman is chiefly celebrated to this day.
Join in the Celebrations
Throughout 2009 there are great events for you to visit. Check out our Event Diary for something inspired to do this year.
