George Du Maurier. George Louis Palmella Busson du Maurier was a Franco-British cartoonist and writer, known for his work in Punch and for his Gothic novel Trilby, which featured the character Svengali.
He was the father of actor Sir Gerald du Maurier and grandfather of writers Angela du Maurier and Dame Daphne du Maurier. He was also the father of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies and grandfather of the five boys who inspired J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan.
George du Maurier was born in Paris, the son of Louis-Mathurin Busson du Maurier and Ellen Clarke, daughter of Regency courtesan Mary Anne Clarke. He was brought up to believe that his aristocratic grandparents fled France during the Revolution, leaving vast estates behind in France, to live in England as émigrés.
However, du Maurier's grandfather, Robert-Mathurin Busson, was actually a tradesman who left Paris in 1789 to avoid fraud charges, and later changed the family name to du Maurier. Du Maurier studied art in Paris, and moved to Antwerp, Belgium, where he lost vision in his left eye.
He consulted an oculist in Düsseldorf, Germany, where he met his future wife, Emma Wightwick. Reportedly he studied chemistry at University College, London in 1851. He is recorded in the 1861 England Census as living as a lodger at 85 Newman St in Marylebone. On 3 January 1863, he married Emma at St Marylebone, Westminster. Moving frequently over the course of their marria
He was the father of actor Sir Gerald du Maurier and grandfather of writers Angela du Maurier and Dame Daphne du Maurier. He was also the father of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies and grandfather of the five boys who inspired J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan.
George du Maurier was born in Paris, the son of Louis-Mathurin Busson du Maurier and Ellen Clarke, daughter of Regency courtesan Mary Anne Clarke. He was brought up to believe that his aristocratic grandparents fled France during the Revolution, leaving vast estates behind in France, to live in England as émigrés.
However, du Maurier's grandfather, Robert-Mathurin Busson, was actually a tradesman who left Paris in 1789 to avoid fraud charges, and later changed the family name to du Maurier. Du Maurier studied art in Paris, and moved to Antwerp, Belgium, where he lost vision in his left eye.
He consulted an oculist in Düsseldorf, Germany, where he met his future wife, Emma Wightwick. Reportedly he studied chemistry at University College, London in 1851. He is recorded in the 1861 England Census as living as a lodger at 85 Newman St in Marylebone. On 3 January 1863, he married Emma at St Marylebone, Westminster. Moving frequently over the course of their marria
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