Sad to report the death of north-east poet and really nice man, William Martin.
Here’s a link to his site:

http://williammartinpoet.com/index.htm

And Bloodaxe Site with information on his collections…

‘William Martin is a remembrancer, patiently polishing the common coins of street games, folk songs and customs, and putting them back into circulation… David Jones comes to mind, but not as an immediate ancestor. Martin seems closer to George Mackay Brown, firmly rooted in a specific community and able to give the elements of its common life a sacramental value. But perhaps he is closest of all to the Vasko Popa of Earth Erect, eschewing private poetry to restore the collective symbols, releaf the ikons with gold’ – Roger Garfitt, London Magazine

http://www.bloodaxebooks.com/titlepage.asp?isbn=1852243694
His funeral is at 12 on Thursday 23rd September at Sunderland Crematorium.

Thanks to Keith Armstrong for the information.