This is a table of the first-prize winning poets from the beginning of the George Crabbe Memorial Prize Competition.
The early years of the competition were themed. The themes are shown where known. The total number of entries is also given where possible.
| Year | Poet (First Prize Winner) | Adjudicator(s) | Theme | Entry total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sally Warrell | Paul Stephenson | ||
| 2025 | Lizzi Thistlethwayte | Elizabeth Cook | ||
| 2024 | Esther Morgan | Luke Wright | ||
| 2023 | Nicola Warwick | Tamar Yoseloff | ||
| 2022 | Philip Rösel Baker | Blake Morrison | ||
| 2021 | Nicola Warwick | Anne-Marie Fyfe | ||
| 2020 | Elizabeth Cook | Martin Figura | ||
| 2019 | Christopher James | Tiffany Atkinson | ||
| 2018 | Caroline Price | André Mangeot | ||
| 2017 | Jim Green | Esther Morgan | ||
| 2016 | Pamela Job | Moniza Alvi | ||
| 2015 | Caroline Gilfillan | Robert Seatter | ||
| 2014 | David Healey | Gregory Warren Wilson | ||
| 2013 | Pamela Job | James Knox Whittet | ||
| 2012 | Caroline Gilfillan | Kenneth Steven | ||
| 2011 | James Knox Whittet | Elaine Feinstein | ||
| 2010 | Gill Napier | Gareth Calway | ||
| 2009 | Mike Bannister | Clive Scott | ||
| 2008 | James Knox Whittet | Graham Fawcett | ||
| 2007 | Laura Helyer | George Szirtes | ||
| 2006 | Andrew Frolish | Neil Powell, Andrea Holland | ||
| 2005 | James Knox Whittet | Danielle Hope | ||
| 2004 | James Knox Whittet | David Holliday | ||
| 2003 | Rosemary Merry | Alison Chisholm | ||
| 2002 | Elizabeth Bracken | Rodney Pybus | ||
| 2001 | Ross Cogan | Anne Beresford | ||
| 2000 | Helen Burke | Anthony Thwaite, Ann Thwaite | ||
| 1999 | Rupert Mallin | John Mole, Julian Stannard | ||
| 1998 | Julian Stannard | Judith Kazantzis, Martyn Crucefix | ||
| 1997 | Julian Stannard | Jo Shapcott, Harry Chambers | 400 | |
| 1996 | Julian Stannard | Susan Wicks, William Scannell | ||
| 1995 | David Britton/Simon Maier | Jeni Couzyn, Lawrence Sail | ||
| 1994 | John Withers | Elaine Feinstein, David Dabydeen | ||
| 1993 | Caroline Price | Andrew Motion, Anthony Thwaite | ||
| 1992 | Marjorie Carter | D.J. Enright, Elizabeth Bartlett | ||
| 1991 | Joyce I Watson | Jon Silkin, William Radice | ||
| 1990 | James Bardsley | Wes Magee, Mike Shields | ||
| 1989 | Frank Wood | John Purkis, Roland Young | ||
| 1988 | Joan Galwey | Donald Davie, Ronald Blythe | 342 | |
| 1987 | Robin Maunsell | Edward Storey, Edwin Brock | ||
| 1986 | Kim Baker | Edward Lowbury, Vernon Scannell | 351 | |
| 1985 | Frank Wood | Gavin Ewart, Isobel Thrilling | ||
| 1984 | Kim Baker | Anthony Thwaite, Howard Sergeant | ||
| 1983 | Stephanie Fone | William Radice, Eric Sandon | ||
| 1982 | Lynn E Porter | Norman Hidden, Anne Beresford | ||
| 1981 | Isobel Thrilling | Kevin Crossley-Holland, R.N Curry | ||
| 1980 | Jennifer Andrews | John Smith, Kemble Williams | no set subject | |
| 1979 | Michael Ferguson | Wes Magee, Marguerite Wood | ||
| 1978 | Stephanie Fone/Anthony Weedon | John Holloway, Joan Foreman | ||
| 1977 | Robin Maunsell | R.N Curry, Ronald Blythe, Edwin Storey | ||
| 1976 | Mary Markwell | Alan Brownjohn, Roger Guedella, Anthony Rudolf | ||
| 1975 | Mary Markwell | Elizabeth Thomas, Clifford Simmons, Chris Wright | ||
| 1974 | Marguerite Wood/Marguerite Wood | Jeni Couzyn, Christopher Hampton, Robert Dumper | Dark and Light | |
| 1973 | Colin Fletcher | No records | no set subject | |
| 1972 | David L Johnson | Hester Marsden-Smedley, Leslie Norris, N. Hidden | no set subject | |
| 1971 | Robin Maunsell | James Turner, Eireen Beck, Alasdair Aston | Messengers | |
| 1970 | Leslie Leeks | Anne Ridler, Roger Hayward | Blazing a Trail | |
| 1969 | Kate Dell | P Hardiman-Scott, J. Murray Simpson, W.W. Wickett | Forgotten People | |
| 1968 | Kate Dell | Cyril Fletcher, Alan Dobson, Mrs M Bottrall | ||
| 1967 | Ron I. Redfern | David Holbrook, Miss McCarthy, Mrs Ford | Any Old Building | |
| 1966 | D. Murrell-Simmons | Mrs T. Williams, Frances Warner, Leslie Missen | To a friend or Friendship | |
| 1965 | Gillian Edwards | Ronald Blythe, Dr Anernethy, Rev. J. Gilchrist | ||
| 1964 | Brig. J.R.T. Aldous | Edward Ritchie, Rita Spurr, Jack Lindsay | 69 | |
| 1963 | Stephanie Fone | Mrs Redwood Anderson, Leslie Missen, Paul Jennings | ||
| 1962 | Nora Roughton | Miss Carla Lanyon Lanyon, Norman Scarfe, Rev. Pierce Higgins, Paul Jennings | ||
| 1961 | Gillian Edwards | Thomas Moult, Doreen Wallace V. Sackville-West | ||
| 1960 | Gillian Edwards | Herbert Palmer, Mrs S.M. Curry, Dennis Page | Personal Relationships | |
| 1959 | Francis Engleheart | John Betjeman, W.D. Rogers Stevie Smith | ||
| 1958 | Gillian Edwards | Sir Charles Tennyson, Philip Larkin, F. Cornford | Any aspect of nature | |
| 1957 | Francis Engleheart | John Hadfield, T.R. (Robert) Henn, Mr Pratt Green | 76 | |
| 1956 | Francis Engleheart | Kennedy Williamson, Mr Jack Lindsay, Mr James Turner | Narrative, Suffolk interest | 35 |
| 1955 | Albert Ernest Tomlinson | Sir Francis Meynell, Thomas Moult, R.N. Curry | Suffolk | 86 |
| 1954 | Competition inaugurated |