He published six full poetry collections, and after retiring from a senior lectureship in English at Liverpool Hope University, wrote numerous books of literary criticism until his death.

In early 1947 he obtained a senior lectureship in English at Victoria University College, Wellington, where he taught until his retirement in 1975.

He then held academic posts in Burma, Cambridge, East Anglia and Edinburgh, being appointed to a senior lectureship at Edinburgh in 1983.

Morris tells me I haven't got my senior lectureship.

He was appointed to a senior lectureship there in 1963, a post he vacated to serve as director of the theological department at the Lutheran World Federation in Geneva from 1965 to 1970.

Promoted to a senior lectureship in 1967, he became professor and head of department in 1971.

Historically, a senior lectureship reflected prowess in teaching or administration rather than research and was far less likely to lead direct to promotion to professor.

In status, it lies between a professorship and a senior lectureship, but is equivalent to the latter in duties (and salary scale).

The number of vacant senior lectureships and chairs attests to this.

After being a Leverhulme Fellow in 2002 she was appointed to a lectureship and then senior lectureship at Loughborough University.