Poet laureate of Great Britain from 1930 until his death in
1967. Masefield himself did not think he was worthy of the
appointment, however, upon the recommendation of the British
Prime Minister, King George V appointed Masefield, who remained
in the office until his death in 1967. The only other person to
remain in the office of Laureate for a longer period was
Tennyson. Masefield was born on June 1, 1878, in Ledbury,
Herefordshire, England. After his father's death he was looked
after by an uncle. Young Masefield wanted to be a merchant
marine officer. At 13 he boarded the training ship Conway moored
in the river Mersey. After two and a half years on the school
ship he was apprenticed aboard a sailing ship that was bound for
Chile by way of Cape Horn. In Chile he became ill and had to
return to England by steamer. He left the sea and spent several
years living in the United States, working chiefly in a carpet
factory. At one time, in 1895, to be exact, he worked for a few
months as a sort of third assistant