William Wordsworth: The Life and Legacy
Early Life and Background
William Wordsworth, a prominent figure in English literature, was born on April 7, 1770, in the picturesque town of Cockermouth, England. His father, John Wordsworth, served as a legal agent for James Lowther, the 1st Earl of Lonsdale, and held the position of Collector of Customs at Whitehaven. His mother, Ann Cookson, hailed from a family of some distinction.
John Wordsworth was not the first in his family to serve the Lowther family; his own father, Richard Wordsworth, had been a landowner and legal agent for the Lowthers. John's career eventually led him to become the Bailiff and Recorder for Cockermouth, as well as the Coroner for the Seigniory of Millom. Ann Cookson, on the other hand, was the daughter of Wordsworth Cookson, a linen-draper, and Dorothy Crackanthorpe, a member of a gentry family in Westmorland.
In 1766, John and Ann tied the knot, with John aged 26 and Ann just 18. Leveraging his connections with the Lowther family, John relocated…
