Memorial to Poet Laureate Ted Hughes unveiled at his former Doncaster school

Named by critics as one of the best writers of the 20th century, Hughes, who died in 1998, spent his childhood growing up in Mexborough, writing some of his very first poems in the area.

Now a memorial to him has been unveiled at the former Mexborough Grammar School where he spent some of his formative years.

The plaque, funded by the Mexborough and District Heritage Society, carries the message: “Ted Hughes, 1930-1998 – Poet Laureate. Attended Mexborough Grammar School 1941-1949 and wrote his first poems here. Made in Mexbororough.”

The tribute was unveiled by Tommy Joyce, a former boxing champion and school caretaker known in the community as 'Mr Mexborough' for his 40 years of service to Mexborough’s Comprehensive School now called The Laurel Academy.

He has raised thousands of pounds for charity and was awarded a MBE in 2007 and became known for his fundraising marathon runs.

Part of Hughes’ old school is now the Fox Gallery, run by local artist Helen Watson.

She said: “Built in 1910, the building has historic connections to Ted Hughes who studied at the school from 1941-1949.

"During the 1960s, the school was renamed Mexborough Secondary Modern and joined together with the ‘new grammar school on Maple Road in the mid 70s.

"The College Road school closed in the 1980s. In later years the school on Maple Road was demolished and a new comprehensive school was erected on the same site and during 2018 this school was renamed The Laurel Academy.”

Phil Sheppard of the National Literacy Trust attended the event and read verses from Hughes’ The Iron Man and discussed the connections to the large mural within the main hall of the building painted by the artist and illustrator Chris Mould, whose artwork is used currently on the latest edition of the book’s cover.

Paul Dyson, a local Mexborough poet read Hughes poem, The Thought Fox at the unveiling, with the poem influenced the Fox Gallery’s name.

Born in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire, Hughes’ family moved to Mexborough when he was seven.

He attended Schofield Street junior schoo and his parents ran a newsagent's and tobacconist's shop.

During his time in Mexborough, he explored Manor Farm at Old Denaby, which he said he would come to know "better than any place on earth". His earliest poem "The Thought Fox", and earliest story "The Rain Horse" were recollections of the area.

A close friend at the time, John Wholly, took Hughes to the Crookhill estate above Conisbrough where the boys spent great swathes of time. Hughes became close to the family and learnt a lot about wildlife from Wholly's father, a gamekeeper.

At Mexborough Grammar School, a succession of teachers encouraged him to write, and develop his interest in poetry.

He was appointed Poet Laureate in 1984 and held the office until his death.

He was married to American poet Sylvia Plath from 1956 until her death by suicide in 1963 at the age of 30.

His last poetic work, Birthday Letters (1998), explored their relationship.