John Fowles
Fillibrook Avenue. Leigh-on-Sea
John was born in 1926, he lived with his parents Gladys and Robert in Fillibrook Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea. He found his conventional life very oppressive. After boarding school he attended Edinburgh University, he completed his compulsory national Service just before the end of WWII.
Fowles then spent four years at Oxford University, gained a degree in French. He decided to become a writer. First he became a teacher in France, Greece and later in London. His book The Writer was a success, so John decided to devote his time to writing. He moved to Dorset in 1965, his house became ‘the Dairy’ in his famous book ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman.’ He later moved to Lyme Regis, where the famous ‘Cob’ is situated.
Apart from his writing he became interested in local history and became curator of the local Lyme Regis Museum.
John died in 2005