A series of events will take place at Loughborough University this week in memory of Professor Bill Overton.

Bill was a world-respected English scholar who specialised in eighteenth-century poetry.  He was appointed as a Lecturer in the Department of English and Drama in 1976 and from 1988-1993 was its Head.  He was promoted to Reader in 1998 and to Professor of Literary Studies in 2003.

Events taking place include a two day conference which will involve the presentation of papers and debates by academics from Universities in the UK and Europe, and as far afield as Japan and the USA.

On the second day of the conference there will be a special alumni event which will be an opportunity for current staff and students in the department to mix with former students, staff and friends of both Bill and the department.  There will be talks, a tree dedication ceremony and a reception.

The two day programme of events – which will take place on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 September – will also see the launch of the Bill Overton Memorial Fund, which will support an annual poetry prize to support an early career Poet in Residence at the University.

Further information about the alumni event is available online at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/whatson/event2999.html

Details of the conference programme are also available online at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/english-drama/events/conference-in-memory-of-bill-overton.html