Literary Leicester and the Philip Larkin Society are delighted to welcome renowned literary scholar Professor Kelvin Everest, who will offer an informal account of his friendship with Monica Jones, the poet Philip Larkin’s long-time partner and the first female lecturer in the English Department here at Leicester. Kelvin arrived as a junior lecturer in 1979. He and Monica became friends during her last two years as a lecturer, through to the mid-eighties and the first years of her retirement. He combines personal reminiscences of Monica, including some involving Larkin, with memories from other people, mainly students at that time, who knew her at Leicester in the seventies. There will be plenty of times for questions.

A 'towering figure in British academia', as a teacher, critic, editor, and scholar of Shelley and Keats, Professor Kelvin Everest has been at the forefront of British Romantic studies for forty-five years. The author of numerous critical and edited works, he has received many awards, including, in 2025, a Distinguished Scholar Award by the Keats-Shelley Association of America.

Brought to you in collaboration with The Philip Larkin Society, the University of Leicester's Heritage Hub as part of their 'Celebration of Heritage' Day, and the University of Leicester Library through a donation from the Margaret Jones Bequest. The library holds archival materials on Larkin and Jones and their time at Leicester.

Getting to us:

To travel to the university main campus, please find details (including parking) here. An interactive university campus map is also available here.

Refreshments:

The nearest refreshments are available at the Library Café.

Accessibility:

The Ken Edwards Lecture Theatre 2 is an accessible venue. Please contact us for more details as required.