Daphne Du Maurier
Author of Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, The Birds, The Loving Spirit, Julius
Daphne Du Maurier, the English writer who proved her ability in diverse literary genres including short stories, novels, biographies, autobiographies and travel books.
Daphne Du Maurier, later to become Lady Browning, was born in London one hundred years ago on 13th May 1907. She was the daughter of acclaimed actress Muriel Beaumont. Her father was the actor/writer Gerald Du Maurier who created the mad hypnotist Svengali.
A Stifling Home Life
Du Maurier’s education culminated at finishing school at Camposena, near Paris. On her return she found home life stifling. Gerald adored his daughter but this attention became oppressive. He was extremely jealous of any young men that came calling. To make things worse life was one long round of entertaining and for the fledgling novelist this constant distraction threatened her literary activities.
Du Maurier solved this problem by convincing her parents that she should move to Ferryside, the family’s holiday home in the Cornish village of Fowey (now occupied by her son Christian). Her first short story "And Now to God the Father" was published when she was 22 in the Bystander, a magazine edited by her uncle, Willie Beaumont. Through him Du Maurier was able to make useful contacts but, naturally, the family name helped as well!
Literary Influences
Like all aspiring authors Daphne Du Maurier had her heroes. Her work was strongly influenced by many literary giants including Robert Louis Stevenson, Guy de Maupassant, Katherine Mansfield and Somerset Maugham.
Du Maurier and Romance
In early 1932 Du Maurier met Major Frederick Arthur Montague Browning, a devoted fan. (Later Lieutenant-General, knighted for distinguished service during World War II.) By June 1932 they were engaged and on 19th July 1932 they married in the Lanteglos Church, not far from Fowey. During their thirty-three year marriage, reputed by some biographers to be somewhat unsettled, they had two daughters and a son: Tessa in 1933 (Lady Tessa Montgomery), Flavia in 1937 (Lady Flavia Leng), and Christian in 1940.
Different Genres
A number of biographies, autobiographies and even travel books proved her versatility in different genres. Titles include “I'll Never Be Young Again” (1932), “The Du Mauriers” (1937) and “Growing Pains: the Shaping of a writer/myself when young” (1977). In 1967 Du Maurier collaborated with her son Christian to write a travel book entitled “Vanishing Cornwall”. It featured her text and Christian’s photographs.
The Recluse
Du Maurier wrote numerous novels and novella, many of which were made into films, but with each success she became increasingly reclusive seeking refuge in her beloved Cornwall.
She discovered Menabilly, an abandoned estate with a run down house renting the property for twenty-five years until the landlord reclaimed it.
The secretive atmosphere of the ivy-clad Menabilly inspired Du Maurier and it became the model for many of her fictional locations. It is probably best remembered as Manderley in “Rebecca” (1940).
Dame Du Maurier
Du Maurier was made a Dame in 1969 to acknowledge her huge talent. In 1977 she received the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. She died in Cornwall on 20th April 1989 after a period of ill heath.
The impact of Daphne Du Maurier on the British literary scene cannot be denied. To mark the centenary of her birth The Daphne Du Maurier International Centenary Conference (organised by the University of Exeter) took place in May 2007 as part of the annual Fowey Festival.
A number of good biographies are available including: “Daphne Du Maurier”, Margaret Forster, Arrow Books Ltd (2007), ISBN-10: 0099333317, ISBN-13: 978-0099333319 and “A Daughter’s Memoir” Flavia Leng, Mainstream Publishing (1999) ISBN-10: 1840181907, ISBN-13: 978-1840181906,
