Poet. He gained a reputation as a famous English poet, playwright, songwriter, and political satirist who became the unofficial court jester to King Charles II, James II, and William and Mary. Except for a brief period in 1689 when he was a singing teacher at a girls' school, he served each succeeding monarch and many wealthy patrons. Always known as "Tom," this was included on his gravestone. Born into a family of French Huguenot refugees who were authors, he was a prolific writer. He had a distinct stutter except when he was singing. He wrote 32 plays between 1676 and 1688, which were called immortal by Bishop Jeremy Collier. He wrote some 500 songs, including ballad operas. Ten of the 68 airs in "The Beggar's Opera" are D'Urfey's songs. He is mainly remembered for the songs that Henry Purcell set to music, as well as his plays and odes. He published a large popular collection of songs and ballads, "Wit and Mirth or Pills to Purge Melancholy," from 1719 to 1720. In 1683, he added the apostrophe to his name to promote his association with aristocracy, even though he lived with modest funding.
Poet. He gained a reputation as a famous English poet, playwright, songwriter, and political satirist who became the unofficial court jester to King Charles II, James II, and William and Mary. Except for a brief period in 1689 when he was a singing teacher at a girls' school, he served each succeeding monarch and many wealthy patrons. Always known as "Tom," this was included on his gravestone. Born into a family of French Huguenot refugees who were authors, he was a prolific writer. He had a distinct stutter except when he was singing. He wrote 32 plays between 1676 and 1688, which were called immortal by Bishop Jeremy Collier. He wrote some 500 songs, including ballad operas. Ten of the 68 airs in "The Beggar's Opera" are D'Urfey's songs. He is mainly remembered for the songs that Henry Purcell set to music, as well as his plays and odes. He published a large popular collection of songs and ballads, "Wit and Mirth or Pills to Purge Melancholy," from 1719 to 1720. In 1683, he added the apostrophe to his name to promote his association with aristocracy, even though he lived with modest funding.
Bio by: Linda Davis
Inscription
His marker simply has "Tom" DUrfey"
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See more D'Urfey memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
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