Literature · Politics · 1809–1892

Alfred Tennyson — Age, Birthday & Biography

Born: 6 August 1809 · Died: 6 October 1892 · Age: 83

Victorian Poet Laureate who wrote In Memoriam, The Lady of Shalott and The Charge of the Light Brigade

Did you know?He remains one of the most frequently quoted writers in the English language, with many of his phrases becoming common everyday idioms.

Quick facts

  • Date of birth6 August 1809
  • Date of death6 October 1892
  • Age at death83
  • NationalityBritish
  • BirthplaceSomersby, United Kingdom
  • Occupationpoet, politician, writer

Editor's Take:

Alfred Tennyson was the voice of Victorian Britain. He was Poet Laureate for more than 40 years, longer than anyone else. The sudden death of his friend Arthur Hallam haunted him, and his long poem In Memoriam turned that grief into a meditation on faith and doubt. The Charge of the Light Brigade made a military blunder in the Crimean War into a legend. His poems are musical, rich in sound and full of feeling. Many of his lines became everyday sayings. He was made a baron in 1884.

Key Milestones

  1. 1830: Publishes his first solo collection, Poems, Chiefly Lyrical
  2. 1850: Publishes In Memoriam A.H.H. and becomes Poet Laureate
  3. 1854: Writes The Charge of the Light Brigade
  4. 1884: Raised to the peerage as Baron Tennyson

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

“'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all.”
— Alfred Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H., 1850
“To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”
— Alfred Tennyson, Ulysses, 1842

Profile

Alfred Tennyson: Victorian Poet Laureate

English poet, 1809–1892

Alfred Tennyson was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire, on 6 August 1809.

He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge.

In Memoriam appeared in 1850.

He became Poet Laureate in 1850.

Career highlights

  1. 1833Hallam: friend dies
  2. 1850In Memoriam: poem
  3. 1850Poet Laureate: appointed
  4. 1854Light Brigade: poem
  5. 1884Baron: peerage

Did you know?"'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" is from In Memoriam.

Age at death
83
Years since death
134

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When is Alfred Tennyson's birthday?
Alfred Tennyson's birthday is August 6. He was born on August 6, 1809 in Somersby, United Kingdom.
How old was Alfred Tennyson when he died?
Alfred Tennyson died on October 6, 1892, aged 83.
Who shares a birthday with Alfred Tennyson?
Famous people who share Alfred Tennyson's August 6 birthday include Andy Warhol, Alexander Fleming, Robin van Persie, Lucille Ball and Michelle Yeoh.

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Reviewed by the Who Shares My Birthday editorial team.

Last reviewed: October 2026