When was daphne du maurier born

The first of the du Maurier dynasty to settle in England, in the s, was George, who made his name as an artist for Punch and as the author of the novel Trilby , in which he created the character of Svengali. He often used his son, the future Sir Gerald du Maurier, as a model for drawings, sent him to Harrow and, with misgivings, helped him to begin a career on the stage.

Gerald turned out to be one of the most famous actors of his day. He made his name in plays by J. Gerald du Maurier later played both Raffles and Bulldog Drummond. It was pelting with rain when the new arrival appeared, soon after 5pm. Arriving in Bodinnick-by-Fowey from Looe, Daphne, her mother and her two sisters discovered Ferryside, the house that was to become their home.

Daphne loved Cornwall and spent time at Ferryside whenever she could, it was there that she wrote her first novel The Loving Spirit. It was this book that was to introduce Daphne to her future husband. Major Tommy 'Boy' Browning was so affected by the book that he sailed to Fowey to meet the author.

They fell in love and in July were married at Lanteglos Church. During the first ten years of their marriage Daphne only spent holidays in Cornwall but in while her husband was at war she rented a house in Fowey called Readymoney and lived their with her three children.

Years before whilst out walking she first discovered Menabilly, a house belonging to the Rashleigh family. She was fascinated by the place and now she was living in Cornwall she asked the family if she could rent the property.

They agreed and in she moved into the house which was to provide inspiration for much of her writing. In she married Frederick Browning, a military man, and they had three children. She lived at Menabilly, the Rashleigh owned manor house just outside Fowey, for about 25 years and wrote many of her books in a writing-hut in the grounds with a view over The Gribbin pictured above.

She continued to live a privileged life, with staff to run her home and look after the children, and was proud to be the family breadwinner with the success of her writing.

When she eventually left Menabilly she rented Kilmarth, the dower house to the Menabilly estate, and continued to write until health and old age prevented it.

For a long time Daphne du Maurier was described as a romantic novelist. This is completely misleading as she wrote dark, often gothic and edgy novels and short stories, with unexpected twists or suspenseful endings. There are many conflicting views of Daphne's personality.