Ted Booth, a respected poet and academic whose iconoclastic spirit helped shape Hornsey College of Art into a radical hub during the 1970s, has died at the age of 87. As a lecturer in creative writing, he left an indelible mark on the institution, which became synonymous with student protests and innovative teaching methods during his tenure.
Literary Contributions and Career
Between 1998 and 2022, Ted Booth published five volumes of poetry, showcasing his literary prowess. His works include Rough Draft (1998), Fair Copy (2010), Lower Second (2017), The Olive Tree (2020), and Abandoned Poems (2022). Born in Belvedere, Kent, to Mary, a librarian, and Jack, a metallurgist, he grew up in Greenwich, south-east London, where he attended Colfe's grammar school and developed a lifelong support for Charlton Athletic Football Club.
After earning a sociology degree from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a teaching qualification from the Institute of Education, Ted began his career in special needs provision in schools. He later transitioned into teacher training at the Battersea College of Domestic Science in south London and Shenstone College of Education in Worcestershire.
Academic and Personal Life
In 1972, Ted joined Hornsey College of Art as a lecturer, a role he held until his retirement in 1998, by which time the college had been integrated into Middlesex University. Known for his quiet and cerebral demeanor, he often immersed himself in reading, solving Guardian cryptic crosswords, or watching Middlesex cricket from his favorite spot at Lord's cricket ground, the Allen Stand.
Despite his unassuming appearance, Ted's short, rugged stature hinted at a contrasting passion: mountaineering. As a member of the LSE mountaineering club, he experienced tragedy when several friends died in a climbing accident in the Peruvian Andes. Undeterred, he mastered and taught mountaineering skills, primarily climbing in the UK and the Alps.
Achievements in Mountaineering and Sports
By 1997, Ted had summited all 408 peaks in England and Wales listed by author George Bridge as measuring 2,000 feet or above. When Mynydd Craig Goch was added to the list after a re-measurement, he climbed it at the age of 71. His athletic pursuits extended beyond climbing; he ran 17 marathons, including the inaugural London Marathon in 1981, played Sunday league football and club rugby, and was a dedicated member of the London Orienteering Klubb.
Retirement and Community Engagement
In retirement, Ted settled in West Hampstead, north-west London, where he became poet-in-residence for the Friends of Fortune Green, a group dedicated to maintaining a local park. He later served as writer-in-residence for the Friends of West Hampstead Library. To celebrate National Poetry Day, his poems were distributed by volunteers to passersby, often eliciting delight and occasional bemusement.
Two of Ted's poems were featured in the 1999 anthology Football: Pure Poetry, alongside works by Seamus Heaney, Roger McGough, and Adrian Mitchell, with another poem appearing in the follow-up volume in 2002.
Family and Legacy
Ted Booth is survived by his wife, Janet (nee Pedder), a fellow climber whom he married in 1974, his son, Matthew, from a previous marriage to Denise Moyise that ended in divorce, and two grandchildren. His legacy as a poet, educator, and adventurer continues to inspire those who knew him and his work.
