Life

He was born into a working-class family, but failed the 11-plus exam. His brother is Michael Scammell

Michael Scammell

Michael Scammell is an English author, biographer and translator of Slavic literature.-Life:He was educated at the University of Nottingham, and obtained a doctorate at Columbia University where he is currently a professor of writing....

. He took a succession of menial jobs before becoming a ship's photographer on the RMS Queen Elizabeth

RMS Queen Elizabeth

RMS Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line. Plying with her running mate Queen Mary as a luxury liner between Southampton, UK and New York City, USA via Cherbourg, France, she was also contracted for over twenty years to carry the Royal Mail as the second half of the two...

 and RMS Queen Mary

RMS Queen Mary

RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...

.

He enrolled as a mature student at Bristol University. He taught at the Workers' Educational Association

Workers' Educational Association

The Workers’ Educational Association seeks to provide access to education and lifelong learning for adults from all backgrounds, and in particular those who have previously missed out on education. The International Federation of Workers Education Associations has consultative status to UNESCO...

. He moved to the Lake District

Lake District

The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...

, with his artist wife, Jackie, and their two sons. In 1975, he moved to Cockermouth

Cockermouth

-History:The Romans created a fort at Derventio, now the adjoining village of Papcastle, to protect the river crossing, which had become located on a major route for troops heading towards Hadrian's Wall....

 to teach at the Newcastle University. In 1991, he taught at Nottingham Trent University

Nottingham Trent University

Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...

.

His first marriage was dissolved in 1996. A year later, Bill married Jan, and they moved to Heathfield Cottage, at Aspatria, Cumbria, where he got stuck into vegetable gardening. Jan survives him, as do his first wife and their two sons.

His work appeared in Granta, and Lives of the Poets,

Poetry

• Stare At The Moon, Bleeding Heart Yard. 1992
• All Set To Fall Off The Edge Of The World Flambard Press 1998

External links