Jacquie Durrell
Encyclopedia
Jacqueline Sonia Durrell (née Wolfenden) (b. 1929, Manchester, UK) was the first wife of Gerald Durrell
. She assisted Gerald Durrell
on several of his animal collecting expeditions, and with the Jersey Zoological Park
- which he founded.
after an animal-collecting expedition. The two began dating, although initially Jacquie claimed that she was very reluctant to become Durrell's girlfriend
. Jacquie's father did not approve of her relationship with Durrell, and was completely antipathetic towards the idea of the couple's marriage
, chiefly because he considered that Durrell had no money and apparently no career prospects. Jacquie could not marry without her parents' permission until she was 21, so after her 21st birthday, she and Durrell eloped and married in Bournemouth
on February 26, 1951. Gerald Durrell's mother, sister Margaret Durrell
and brother Leslie Durrell helped to organise and attended the wedding
and subsequent party. In marrying Durrell, Jacquie gave up her potential career as an opera singer for which she had been in training since the age of 17. She also gave up her relationship with her father - after her elopement, she never spoke to any of her relatives again.
After their marriage, lack of money prevented Jacquie and Gerald from renting a place of their own, and so they lived in a cramped bedsitter in the Bournemouth guest house owned and run by Durrell's sister Margaret Durrell
, who offered them the place rent-free. Despite her initial trepidation, Jacquie was completely accepted by and liked all members of the Durrell family, including famous author Lawrence Durrell
, a meeting with whom she describes in 'Beasts in My Bed.
Jacquie, together with Lawrence Durrell
, encouraged Gerald to write books about his animal-collecting expeditions, in order to make money to fund both their everyday lives and new expeditions. In Gerald Durrell's autobiographical books, Jacquie is typically portrayed as a supportive spouse, who is not squeamish with or perturbed by animals.
Jacquie also helped run Jersey Zoo and with the founding and running of the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (now the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust), though she never held any official post. She was also the central figure in organizing one of the expeditions to Argentina
, her role in which is described in Gerald Durrell's Menagerie Manor. Jacquie was popular with the Jersey Zoo staff and affectionately known as "Mrs. D". Despite her support for her husband's work, she was occasionally overwhelmed by Durrell's total devotion to it, and felt that the zoo took over their lives and left them with no free space to develop their own relationship.
Jacquie featured in three TV series presented by Gerald Durrell; To Bafut With Beagles, TV series, BBC (1958), Look (Argentinian Expedition), Single episode in TV series, BBC (1961) and Two In The Bush, TV series, BBC (1963).
She separated from and divorced Gerald Durrell in 1979 citing his increasing work pressure, and associated alcoholism
.
) (Collins
, 1967), and Intimate Relations, (Collins
, 1976). Both of Jacquie Durrell's books are written in the same humorous, light-hearted tone as her husband's own accounts. They have a dry wit and humour, and Beasts in My Bed also features (often deliberately contradictory) footnotes by Gerald Durrell. Her books have been translated into several languages, including Russian
, Dutch
and Hungarian
.
Jacquie Durrell went on a number of animal collecting expeditions with Gerald Durrell and in addition to describing these in her own books, her participation is featured in a number of Durrell's books, including:
Gerald Durrell
Gerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
. She assisted Gerald Durrell
Gerald Durrell
Gerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
on several of his animal collecting expeditions, and with the Jersey Zoological Park
Jersey Zoological Park
Jersey Zoological Park or Jersey Zoo is a zoological park established in 1959 on the island of Jersey in the English Channel by naturalist and author Gerald Durrell . It is now officially called Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust after its founder, or Durrell for short...
- which he founded.
Marriage to Gerald Durrell
Jacquie was 19 when she met Gerald Durrell, during his first stay in her father's hotel in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
after an animal-collecting expedition. The two began dating, although initially Jacquie claimed that she was very reluctant to become Durrell's girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
. Jacquie's father did not approve of her relationship with Durrell, and was completely antipathetic towards the idea of the couple's marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, chiefly because he considered that Durrell had no money and apparently no career prospects. Jacquie could not marry without her parents' permission until she was 21, so after her 21st birthday, she and Durrell eloped and married in 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...
on February 26, 1951. Gerald Durrell's mother, sister Margaret Durrell
Margaret Durrell
Margaret Isabel Mabel Durrell 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 — lampoons her...
and brother Leslie Durrell helped to organise and attended the wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
and subsequent party. In marrying Durrell, Jacquie gave up her potential career as an opera singer for which she had been in training since the age of 17. She also gave up her relationship with her father - after her elopement, she never spoke to any of her relatives again.
After their marriage, lack of money prevented Jacquie and Gerald from renting a place of their own, and so they lived in a cramped bedsitter in the Bournemouth guest house owned and run by Durrell's sister Margaret Durrell
Margaret Durrell
Margaret Isabel Mabel Durrell 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 — lampoons her...
, who offered them the place rent-free. Despite her initial trepidation, Jacquie was completely accepted by and liked all members of the Durrell family, including famous author Lawrence Durrell
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...
, a meeting with whom she describes in 'Beasts in My Bed.
Jacquie, together with Lawrence Durrell
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...
, encouraged Gerald to write books about his animal-collecting expeditions, in order to make money to fund both their everyday lives and new expeditions. In Gerald Durrell's autobiographical books, Jacquie is typically portrayed as a supportive spouse, who is not squeamish with or perturbed by animals.
Jacquie also helped run Jersey Zoo and with the founding and running of the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (now the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust), though she never held any official post. She was also the central figure in organizing one of the expeditions to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, her role in which is described in Gerald Durrell's Menagerie Manor. Jacquie was popular with the Jersey Zoo staff and affectionately known as "Mrs. D". Despite her support for her husband's work, she was occasionally overwhelmed by Durrell's total devotion to it, and felt that the zoo took over their lives and left them with no free space to develop their own relationship.
Jacquie featured in three TV series presented by Gerald Durrell; To Bafut With Beagles, TV series, BBC (1958), Look (Argentinian Expedition), Single episode in TV series, BBC (1961) and Two In The Bush, TV series, BBC (1963).
She separated from and divorced Gerald Durrell in 1979 citing his increasing work pressure, and associated alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
Books
Jacquie Durrell is the author of two autobiographical accounts concerning her life with Gerald Durrell, Beasts in My Bed, (footnotes by Gerald DurrellGerald Durrell
Gerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
) (Collins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
, 1967), and Intimate Relations, (Collins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
, 1976). Both of Jacquie Durrell's books are written in the same humorous, light-hearted tone as her husband's own accounts. They have a dry wit and humour, and Beasts in My Bed also features (often deliberately contradictory) footnotes by Gerald Durrell. Her books have been translated into several languages, including Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
and Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
.
Jacquie Durrell went on a number of animal collecting expeditions with Gerald Durrell and in addition to describing these in her own books, her participation is featured in a number of Durrell's books, including:
- ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
(1954, 1958) (The Drunken Forest, The Whispering Land) - CameroonCameroonCameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
(1957) (A Zoo in My Luggage - an account of her meeting with the Fon of BafutFon of BafutThe Fon of Bafut is the fon or Mfor of the town of Bafut and its adjoining areas in the Northwest Province, Cameroon which comprise the erstwhile Fondom of Bafut. Presently, the Fon of Bafut is still a local ruler, but under jurisdiction from the Government of Cameroon, and a board of Fons...
Achirimbi IIAchirimbi IIAchirimbi II was the tenth king or Fon of Bafut who ruled over the town of Bafut and adjoining areas in a semi-autonomous fashion. His reign lasted from 1932 to 1968, and included the time of handover from the British protectorate of British Cameroon to the independent country of Cameroon...
is described here) - New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
-Malaysia (1961) (Two in the Bush) - MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(1966) (Catch Me a Colobus)