Mary Wesley
Mary Wesley was an English author born in 1912 in Englefield Green, England, into a notable family with military and aristocratic ties. Her early life was marked by frequent relocations due to her father's military career, which affected her formal education, leading to a patchwork of tutoring. After a troubled marriage to Lord Charles Swenfen Eady, she moved to Cornwall with her two sons and later formed a relationship with Eric Sieppmann, a foreign correspondent. Wesley worked as a cipher decoder during World War II and supported Sieppmann in his writing when he faced health challenges.
In her later years, after Sieppmann's death, Wesley found herself in financial distress but turned to writing as a means of support. Her breakthrough came in 1983 with the publication of "Jumping the Queue," which gained significant popularity. Over the next fifteen years, she published numerous bestsellers, including "The Camomile Lawn" and "Harnessing Peacocks," securing a legacy as a successful novelist. Her works often explored complex themes and were adapted into television series. Wesley was also known for her philanthropy, contributing to organizations like Amnesty International before her passing in 2002 at the age of ninety.
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Mary Wesley
Author
- Born: June 24, 1912
- Birthplace: Englefield Green, England
- Died: December 30, 2002
- Place of death: Totnes, Devon, England
Biography
Mary Wesley was born in Englefield Green, England, in 1912, the daughter of Violet Darby Farmer, a descendent of the duke of Wellington, and Harold Mynor Farmer, a colonel in the British army. During her childhood, Wesley moved often due to her father’s frequently changing military postings. These constant moves left her with little time for a formal education. Instead, numerous governesses tutored Wesley until 1928, when she entered Kings College. She remained at Kings College for two years before transferring to the London School of Economics and Political Science.
In 1937, Wesley married Lord Charles Swenfen Eady and together they had two sons. The marriage was unhappy, and in 1940 she separated from her husband and moved with her sons to Cornwall, England. Several years later, Wesley met Eric Sieppmann, a foreign correspondent for the Manchester Guardian. They fell in love and had a child together. In 1945, Wesley obtained a divorce from her husband and continued to live with Sieppmann until he could obtain a divorce from his wife. Wesley and Sieppmann were finally married in 1952.
Throughout World War II, Wesley worked for the British war office as a German cipher decoder. After the war, she followed Sieppmann to Berlin, where he reported for The Sunday Times. At this time, Sieppmann suffered from bouts of depression in which he would become incapacitated. Wesley began assisting him in his writing, often producing complete assignments for him. In the late 1960’s, Sieppmann became bedridden with advanced Parkinson’s disease. At this time, Wesley used her writing as a means of supporting her family.
In 1969, Wesley published her first books, The Sixth Seal and Speaking Terms. These science-fiction novels for children earned little money. In 1970, Sieppmann died and Wesley found herself penniless. She began working odd jobs and selling her possessions in order to buy food.
After several years of living in poverty, Wesley submitted a manuscript entitled Jumping the Queue to the Macmillan publishing house. This novel, which depicted a widow on the brink of suicide, was published in 1983, when Wesley was seventy years old. It eventually sold more than 100,000 copies. Over the next fifteen years, Wesley produced ten more best-selling novels, including her most noted works, The Camomile Lawn, Harnessing Peacocks, and Second Fiddle.
Wesley continued writing well into her eighties, receiving six-figure advances for her books. Several of her books were made into television series. She gave generously to her favorite charities, including Amnesty International and Prisoners of Conscience. She died in Totnes, Devon, England, in 2002, at the age of ninety.