Robert W. Service Writer

Robert William Service (January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958) was a British-Canadian poet and writer who has often been called "the Bard of the Yukon". He is best known for his poems "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" and "The Cremation of Sam McGee", from his first book, Songs of a Sourdough (1907; also published as The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses). His vivid descriptions of the Yukon and its people made it seem that he was a veteran of the Klondike gold rush, instead of the late-arriving bank clerk he actually was. "These humorous tales in verse were considered doggerel by the literary set, yet remain extremely popular to this day."

Personal facts

Robert W. Service
Birth dateJanuary 16, 1874
Birth place
England , Lancashire , Preston Lancashire
Date of deathSeptember 11, 1958
Place of death
Lancieux , Côtes-d'Armor , France
Resting place
Lancieux , Côtes-d'Armor , France
Education
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
Hillhead High School
McGill University

Search