Margaret Durrell
Encyclopedia
Margaret Isabel Mabel Durrell (1920-2007) was the younger sister of novelist Lawrence Durrell
, and elder sister of naturalist, author and TV presenter Gerald Durrell
, whose Corfu Trilogy of novels — My Family and Other Animals
, Birds, Beasts and Relatives and Garden of the Gods — lampoon
s her character variously.
Born in British India, she was brought up in India
, England
and Corfu
. In 1935, Margo went with her mother, Gerald and Leslie to live on Corfu
, following after her eldest brother Lawrence, who had moved there with his first wife, Nancy Myers. By 1939, when her mother returned to England
with Gerald and Leslie following the outbreak of World War II, Margo decided her real home was on Corfu and returned. She shared a peasant cottage with some local friends. In 1939, she met a British Royal Air Force
pilot, Jack Breeze, stationed on Corfu. He convinced her of the dangers of staying on Corfu, and left with her to South Africa; the pair married in 1940. Margo lived with Breeze in South Africa
for the remainder of the war. When the war ended, Margo and her husband moved to Bournemouth
. Margo and Jack Breeze had two children, Gerry (named after Gerald Durrell
) and Nicholas.
After divorcing her first husband, Margo purchased a large house across the street from her mother's house in Bournemouth, and after refurbishing it, she opened a boarding house
there. Gerald Durrell's core collection for his zoo (now the Jersey Zoo) was initially housed on the premises of her boarding house. Margo eventually remarried, her new husband's name being Malcolm Duncan.
Margo considered herself Greek, and worked for a while on a Greek cruise ship.
Margaret Durrell was the author of Whatever Happened to Margo?, a reprise on her pet name used in the Corfu Trilogy. The book is the tale of Margo's adventures as a Bournemouth landlady in the late 1940s. Written in a humorous style, it includes references to the rest of the Durrell family, particularly Leslie, Gerald and Louisa Durrell. Apparently written in the 1960s, it was discovered in the attic by a granddaughter nearly 40 years later and published in 1995.
Margaret died aged 87 on 16 January, 2007.
Lawrence Durrell
Lawrence George Durrell was an expatriate British novelist, poet, dramatist, and travel writer, though he resisted affiliation with Britain and preferred to be considered cosmopolitan...
, and elder sister of naturalist, author and TV presenter Gerald Durrell
Gerald Durrell
Gerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
, whose Corfu Trilogy of novels — My Family and Other Animals
My Family and Other Animals
My Family and Other Animals is an autobiographical work by naturalist Gerald Durrell, telling of the part of his childhood he spent on the Greek island of Corfu between 1935 and 1939. It describes the life of the Durrell Family on the island in a humorous manner, and also richly discusses the fauna...
, Birds, Beasts and Relatives and Garden of the Gods — lampoon
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
s her character variously.
Born in British India, she was brought up in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. In 1935, Margo went with her mother, Gerald and Leslie to live on Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, following after her eldest brother Lawrence, who had moved there with his first wife, Nancy Myers. By 1939, when her mother returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with Gerald and Leslie following the outbreak of World War II, Margo decided her real home was on Corfu and returned. She shared a peasant cottage with some local friends. In 1939, she met a British Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
pilot, Jack Breeze, stationed on Corfu. He convinced her of the dangers of staying on Corfu, and left with her to South Africa; the pair married in 1940. Margo lived with Breeze in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
for the remainder of the war. When the war ended, Margo and her husband moved to Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
. Margo and Jack Breeze had two children, Gerry (named after Gerald Durrell
Gerald Durrell
Gerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
) and Nicholas.
After divorcing her first husband, Margo purchased a large house across the street from her mother's house in Bournemouth, and after refurbishing it, she opened a boarding house
Boarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
there. Gerald Durrell's core collection for his zoo (now the Jersey Zoo) was initially housed on the premises of her boarding house. Margo eventually remarried, her new husband's name being Malcolm Duncan.
Margo considered herself Greek, and worked for a while on a Greek cruise ship.
Margaret Durrell was the author of Whatever Happened to Margo?, a reprise on her pet name used in the Corfu Trilogy. The book is the tale of Margo's adventures as a Bournemouth landlady in the late 1940s. Written in a humorous style, it includes references to the rest of the Durrell family, particularly Leslie, Gerald and Louisa Durrell. Apparently written in the 1960s, it was discovered in the attic by a granddaughter nearly 40 years later and published in 1995.
Margaret died aged 87 on 16 January, 2007.