The Madras College Archive

     


Former Pupil Biographies

Roddy Lumsden (1966 - 2020)

Roderick Chalmers Lumsden was born in St Andrews in 1966. He lived in London where he taught for the Poetry School. He was organiser and host of the monthly reading series BroadCast. He was Vice Chairman of the Poetry Society of Great Britain. He received an Eric Gregory Award  1991.

In 2002 as part of the Stanza Festival of Poetry, Roddy Lumsden returned to Madras College to give a series of workshops and a reading of his own poetry to senior pupils. This was a great success with pupils and staff enjoying his distinctive blend of teaching and recitation.

He was awarded an Arts Council of England International Fellowship at the Banff Centre in Ontario in 2001 and was poetry editor of Salt Publishing from 2010 to 2013.

He earned his living as a freelance writer and editor, also specialising in quizzes and word puzzles, and represented Scotland twice on BBC Radio 4's Round Britain Quiz. He also held several residencies, including ones with the City of Aberdeen, St Andrews Bay Hotel, and as “poet-in-residence” to the music industry. In 2014 he became a regular team member on Radio 4's long running show Round Britain Quiz, representing Scotland alongside crime writer Val McDermid. They won the 2014 series.

He published nine collections of poetry:

  • Yeah Yeah Yeah (1997) Shortlisted for Forward and Saltire prizes.

  • The Book of Love (2000) Shortlisted for the T. S. Elliot prize.

  • Roddy Lumsden is Dead (2001)

  • Mischief Night: New & Selected Poems (2004) A Poetry Book Society recommendation.

  • Third Wish Wasted (B2009)

  • Terrific Melancholy (2011)

  • Not All Honey (2014) Shortlisted for the Saltire Society's Scottish Poetry Book of the Year award

  • Melt and Solve (2015)

  • So Glad I’m Me (2017) Shortlisted for the T. S. Elliot prize and the Saltire Scottish Book of the year awards and reviewed in the PBS Bulletin.

He also published some pamphlets:

  • Elsewhere Perhaps Later (1995)

  • The Bubble Bride (2003)

  • Super Try Again (2007)

  • The Bells of Hope (2012)

He edited other poetic works:

  • The Message (1999, co-ed with Stephen Trousse)

  • Anvil New Poets 3 (2001, co-ed with Hamish Ironside)

  • Identity Parade: New British & Irish Poets (2010)

  • The Best British Poetry 2011 (2011)

  • The Salt Book of Younger Poets (2011, with Eloise Stonborough)

Other works included

  • Vitamin Q: a temple of trivia lists and curious words (2004)

  • Every Boy's Book of Knowledge (2007, compiler and editor)

  • Chambers Gigglossary (2008, contributor)

He was diagnosed with acute liver cirrhosis in 2016. He moved into a care home in New Cross, London, close to where he lived for many years in Blackheath, and died in January 2020.

The many tributes to his life and work included:

"Many here will owe the way they write to Roddy Lumsden. We will miss him very much."
"Roddy was a huge supporter of poets and a selfless champion of poetry. He will be much missed by the poetry community."
 "As well as being an innovative and highly engaging poet, Roddy influenced and assisted a whole generation of British poets, as editor, mentor, tutor and selfless promoter of their work."
"One of the best poets writing in English on the planet today."