Today in history

• 1678

  Andrew Marvell – On the 16th of August 1678 at the age of 57 Marvell passes away in London [London, United Kingdom]

• 1804

  William Wordsworth – Wordsworth`s daughter Dora Wordsworth is born on the 16th of August 1804 [Cockermouth, Cumberland, United Kingdom]

• 1865

  Dame Mary Gilmore – On August the 16th, 1865 Dame Mary Gilmore is born in Goulburn, Australia [Goulburn, Australia]

• 1885

  Paul Laurence Dunbar – On August the 16th 1885 Paul's father Joshua Dunbar dies [Dayton, Ohio, United States]

• 1920

  Charles Bukowski – Charles Bukowski is born in Andernach, Germany on 16th August 1920. His original name was Heinrich Karl Bukowski and his father was a soldier in the US army, his mother a German resident. [Andernach, Germany]

• 1926

  Lew Welch – On August the 16th, 1926 Lew Welch is born in Phoenix, Arizona [Phoenix, Arizona, United States]

• 1933

  Marcus Garvey – On the 16th of August 1933 Garvey's son Julius Winston is born [Kingston, Jamaica]

• 1948

  Anne Sexton – Anne eloped with Alfred 'Kayo' Sexton. Her father gave her a car as a wedding present. [Sunbury, North Carolina, United States]

Featured news

Poetry Sales Boom / Eisteddfod Chair Winner – Poetry News Roundup August 14th

This week in our poetry news round up we look at the record-breaking year poetry is having in the bookshops and the winner of the Chair at this year's National Eisteddfod. UK Poetry Sales on Course for a Record Year Poetry is having a moment. Figures from the market researchers NielsenIQ show that poetry sales in the UK passed £8m during the first thirty weeks of 2026, an increase of 13.3% on the same ...

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