I knew where the atrabilious Philip Larkin and the transcendent Andrew Marvell (“I by the tide of Humber would complain…”) came from. But not this:
“Hull It may be bottom of many league tables but Australian writer Peter Porter called it “the most poetic city in England”. Philip Larkin, Andrew Marvell, Douglas Dunn, Andrew Motion and Roger McGough all lived here and Stevie Smith was born here. Let us hope it is waving, not drowning.” Extract from FT.com
Roger (“Goodbat nightman”) McGough and cheeky Stevie Smith (“Not Waving But Drowning”) are favourites from way back. It has to be some sort of record (thrashes Melbourne, in any case)!