Raymond Antrobus

Raymond Antrobus MBE FRSL is a British poet, educator, and author whose work explores deafness, identity, and heritage. He burst onto the literary scene with his debut collection The Perseverance in 2018, which won the Ted Hughes Award and made him the first poet to win the Rathbones Folio Prize. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2020 and appointed MBE in 2021, Antrobus has since published three poetry collections, two children's books, and a memoir. His poetry is studied on the UK's GCSE syllabus, and his children's book Can Bears Ski? was the first read using British Sign Language on the BBC. As of 2026, he splits his time between New Orleans and Margate and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. [edit]

Raymond Antrobus was born in 1986 at Homerton Hospital in Hackney, East London, to an English mother and a Jamaican father who had immigrated in the 1960s. As a young child, teachers thought he had learning difficulties or dyslexia; his deafness was not diagnosed until he was six years old. He attended four different schools across Hackney, Islington, Haringey, and New Cross, experiencing both mainstream and deaf education systems.

His early love of language was sparked by reciting Evan Jones's poem "The Song of the Banana Man" with his father, a poster of which hung on his bedroom wall. Before pursuing poetry full-time, Antrobus worked as a teacher. He later earned an MA in Spoken Word Education at Goldsmiths, University of London, becoming one of the first people in the world to receive that degree. He began performing at open mic nights, joined London's slam poetry scene, and co-founded the spoken-word organizations Chill Pill and the Keats House Poets Forum. [edit]

Antrobus published his first chapbook, Shapes & Disfigurements, in 2012, followed by the pamphlet To Sweeten Bitter in 2017. That same year he won the Geoffrey Dearmer Prize for his poem "Sound Machine." His debut full-length collection, The Perseverance, named after a Hackney pub, arrived in 2018 to widespread acclaim. In March 2019 it won the Ted Hughes Award; two months later it won the Rathbones Folio Prize, making Antrobus the first poet ever to receive that honor. He also won the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and the Somerset Maugham Award that year.

In 2020 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and published his first children's book, Can Bears Ski?, illustrated by Polly Dunbar. In 2021 he was appointed MBE and released his second collection, All The Names Given, which was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize. He hosted the BBC Radio 4 documentary Inventions in Sound that same year. His third collection, Signs, Music, and his second children's book, Terrible Horses, came out in 2024. In 2025 he published his first prose work, the memoir The Quiet Ear, and in 2026 he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. [edit]

Antrobus is widely regarded as a groundbreaking poet who merges spoken and written word, often incorporating sign language into his performances. Critics praise his sophisticated social commentary and his ability to weave together themes of deafness, race, and memory. Media coverage frequently highlights his role as a "first", first poet to win the Folio Prize, first book read in BSL on the BBC, positioning him as a pioneering voice in deaf literature. He is known for his calm, deliberate delivery and his commitment to accessibility in the arts. No official fandom name has emerged, but he has a devoted following among poetry readers and disability advocates. [edit]

Raymond Antrobus commands a following defined not by screaming crowds or viral memes, but by the quiet intensity of readers who return to his work for clarity on identity and silence. His audience consists primarily of literary enthusiasts, educators, and members of the Deaf community who find profound resonance in his exploration of sound and language. Unlike pop stars with organized fan clubs, Antrobus lacks a formal fandom name or ritualistic campaigns; his supporters engage through book tours, poetry readings, and academic discourse rather than chart pushes or subway ads. The impact of his work is measured in critical acclaim and cultural shifts regarding deafness, such as the widespread discussion sparked by his memoir *The Quiet Ear*. While he maintains a digital presence on platforms like Instagram to share updates, there are no recorded instances of fan rituals or inside jokes that define a specific subculture around his name. Instead, his legacy is built on documented milestones: a diagnosis at age six, winning the Ted Hughes Award, and collaborating with Evelyn Glennie. These moments serve as the anchors for his reputation among those who follow his career. Despite his significant contributions to literature and advocacy, iFANN's Global Fame Engine has evaluated this person, but they do not currently hold a placement in the published rankings (Global Top 1,000 or a Top-100 scope list).[edit]

As a child, Antrobus kept a poster of Evan Jones's poem "The Song of the Banana Man" on his bedroom wall, reciting it alongside his father. His poems "Jamaican British," "The Perseverance," and "Happy Birthday Moon" remain staples on the UK's GCSE syllabus. In a landmark broadcast moment, his children's book *Can Bears Ski?* became the first read using British Sign Language on the BBC, performed by Rose Ayling-Ellis. Beyond the page, he has held multiple residencies in Pupil Referral Units and serves as an ambassador for The Poetry School and Arts Emergency while sitting on the board for English PEN. He actively advocates for Deaf Kidz International and the National Deaf Children's Society. A central narrative in his life story frequently retold in interviews is his diagnosis as deaf at age six, which frames his entire artistic identity. His win of the prestigious Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry solidified his standing in the literary world. Later, his memoir *The Quiet Ear* achieved massive cultural traction, appearing on Time magazine's list of 100 Must-Read Books. A notable collaboration occurred when he worked with Grammy-winning deaf artist Evelyn Glennie on an album described as extraordinary. More recently, a humanizing anecdote emerged where Antrobus revealed reading half a novel while detained at a border crossing.[edit]

Antrobus's father emigrated from Jamaica to England in the 1960s and worked in London. His mother is English. He has spoken about the close bond with his father, whose death deeply affected him and inspired the pamphlet To Sweeten Bitter. Details about siblings, his own household, or pets are not publicly available. He currently divides his time between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Margate, Kent. [edit]

Antrobus has co-curated shows with Kae Tempest, Sabrina Mahfouz, Inua Ellams, and Warsan Shire. His poem "Sound Machine" won the Geoffrey Dearmer Prize judged by Ocean Vuong. His children's books were illustrated by Polly Dunbar (Can Bears Ski?) and Ken Wilson-Max (Terrible Horses). Rose Ayling-Ellis read Can Bears Ski? in BSL on the BBC. [edit]

No information about Raymond Antrobus's romantic relationships, marital status, or dating history is publicly available. As of 2026, his relationship status is unknown. [edit]

No reliable estimates of Raymond Antrobus's net worth are publicly available. As a poet, educator, and author, his income derives from book sales, advances, speaking engagements, teaching, and prizes. His major awards include the Ted Hughes Award (£10,000), the Rathbones Folio Prize (£30,000), and the Somerset Maugham Award (value not disclosed). He also receives royalties from his poetry collections and children's books, and likely earns fees for performances and residencies. His appointment as MBE and election to the Royal Society of Literature carry prestige but no direct financial benefit. Without concrete financial disclosures, a net worth figure cannot be responsibly estimated. [edit]

Raymond Antrobus has won several major literary awards. In 2019, The Perseverance won the Ted Hughes Award, the Rathbones Folio Prize (a first for a poet), the Somerset Maugham Award, and the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. Earlier, in 2017, his poem "Sound Machine" won the Geoffrey Dearmer Prize. He has also received the Lucille Clifton Legacy Award and was a PBS Winter Choice. [edit]