Blue plaque honour for acclaimed Leeds-born writer Keith Waterhouse

Keith Spencer Waterhouse was born in a back-to-back house in Hunslet, Leeds, on February 6, 1929. He died in 2009, aged 80.

From humble beginnings in south Leeds, he rose to see his name in lights outside West End theatres.

After national service in the RAF, Waterhouse achieved his ambition to be a reporter on the YEP, where he is still remembered for his "flaming red unruly hair rising up from his head".

He moved to the Daily Mirror in 1951, where he worked as a correspondent in America, Russia and Cyprus.

During a newspaper strike in 1956, he wrote his first novel, There Is A Happy Land, set on a Leeds housing estate.

In 1959 he leapt to fame with Billy Liar, the story of a daydreamer planning his escape from his job as an undertaker.

He famously left the first 10,000 words of the book in a taxi, which he later said was "the best thing that happened to me" because it was "pretentious twaddle".

In 1963, Billy Liar was turned into a film starring Tom Courtenay. And his twice-weekly column appeared in the Mirror for 16 years.

He died in 2009, aged 80.

Now a blue plaque is to unveiled in his honour by Leeds Civic Trust in association with Leeds Literature Festival on the public library at Waterloo Lane in LS10, near the place of his birth.

It will be unveiled at noon on Friday, March 6, at Hunslet Community Hub and Library by YEP editor Laura Collins and academic Anthony Clavane. Members of the public are invited to attend.

YEP editor, Laura Collins, said: "Keith Waterhouse is quite simply a legend in the world of journalism and literature . We are very proud that he first cut his teeth at the paper as part of a glittering career spanning 60 years."

Leeds Civic Trust director, Martin Hamilton, said: “We are delighted to be unveiling this blue plaque to celebrate the life of one of the country’s most talented and versatile writers. Although London-based for much of his life, he remained proud of his Leeds roots and recognised how the city had shaped him as a writer.”

Anthony Clavane added: "Keith Waterhouse is a hugely important figure in the worlds of journalism and literature. He was one of the leading figures in a new wave of northern writers who broke the mould in the 1960s and changed these worlds forever.

"His legacy in several genres - including satirical fiction, autobiography, newspaper style and playwriting - remains undimmed."

Leeds Civic Trust promotes the improvements of Leeds in the spheres of planning, architecture, heritage and city amenities. It is responsible for the 'Blue Plaque' scheme around the city.