John Masefield
1878—1967
![Black and white headshot of British poet John Masefield.](https://cdn-test.poetryfoundation.org/cdn-cgi/image/w=10,h=10,q=50,blur=3/content/images/31a797266f21b379689b37cbf8cb6953f2711ea0.jpeg)
British poet John Edward Masefield was born in Herefordshire. He studied at Warwick School before training as a merchant seaman. In 1895, he deserted his ship in New York City and worked there in a carpet factory before returning to London to write poems describing his experience at sea. Masefield was appointed British poet laureate in 1930.