Sir Alan Charles Laurence Whistler was a British poet and artist. Born on 21 January 1912 . Laurence was the youngest son of a builder and decorator, and his wife, who lived in Eltham, southeast London. He was awarded the Queen's Medal For Poetry in 1934. 

Laurence changed from studying history to English, leading a quiet life mostly reading poetry. His first book of poems, Armed October, was published in 1932, with illustrations by Rex. In 1934, he published a second book of poems and took a job as assistant secretary to the press board of the Church Assembly. In 1935, he won the Royal Gold Medal for Poetry, given for the best book of the year by a writer under 35.  In 1975 he became the first President of the newly founded British Guild of Glass Engravers. He died December 19,2000.