Stevie Smith, English Poet and novelist born Florence Margaret Smith(1902–1971), was born in Kingston Upon Hull. She was 3 years old when her father ran away to sea and her mother moved to Palmers Green where she stayed until her death. At 5 years old, she was sent to a sanatorium near Broadstairs, Kent, where she remained for three years due to developing tuberculous peritonitis. Being away from her mother was very painful and this was when she had her first throughts of suicide which would haunt her throughout her life. Her mother died when she was 16. An aunt looked after Stevie and elder sister Molly.