The creator of 1984 and Animal Farm lived a life that was as original and strange as the books themselves.
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair was born in Motihari, Bihar, India on June 25, 1903. He would not assume the pen name of George Orwell until the age of 30. Blair was the son of an English civil servant father and a mother who was the daughter of a French colonial entrepreneur operating in Burma.Passport photo en route to Burma
Even today, the catalyst for Eric Blair’s employment in Burma remains unclear. Classmates do recall an interest in the region and his father’s career in India and his mother’s connection to Burma most likely made him aware of such a position. But for an alumnus of Eton to apply for such a position was literally unprecedented. Perhaps he was attempting to blot out a failed romance, perhaps it was a feeling that he had little alternative, but in October of 1922, Eric Blair, aged 19, set sail for what was then known as Rangoon.Orwell’s wife, Eileen Blair
Through his stint at the bookstore, Orwell did expand his social circle and at a party in March of 1935, he met his future wife, Eileen O’Shaughnessy, a graduate student completing her masters in psychology at the University College London. Having studied at Oxford and at one time an aspiring academic, Eileen had a love of literature and intellectual firepower that George Orwell immediately found very attractive. Although he quickly began to discuss marriage, he also confessed that he was so broke, he couldn’t even afford an engagement ring. He would also continue sleeping with other girlfriends from his bookshop employment days, even after his eventual proposal.
“The Stores,” today, in Wallington
Orwell did not want to return to London and instead decided to rent a cottage in the hamlet of Wallington, only 35 miles north of the capital but rural and isolated from any public transportation. Orwell was thrilled with the bucolic setting which was perfect for a writer and he was eager to plant a fruit and vegetable garden, tend to the hens and goats that came with the place, reopen the country store that had recently closed and quickly finish his latest project. The house was nicknamed “The Stores,” from its occasional status as a grocery. However, the out of the way location meant that his fiancé Eileen would have to abandon any plans she had to begin a career as a child psychologist.Orwell , with his son Richard
Despite their desire to have children, George and Eileen had never been able to conceive a child. In 1944, they decided to adopt and through Eileen’s sister were able to acquire a three- week-old boy who they named Richard.
The creator of Animal Farm and 1984 lived a life as original and strange as the books themselves.
Barnhill, Orwell’s hideaway in Scotland
Wanting to escape the distractions of London, in September of 1945, Orwell first travelled to Jura, a remote island in the Southwest corner of Scotland. Once there he stumbled upon Barnhill, a remote and unoccupied farmhouse that he immediately leased from its owner.
Barnhill, from a distance by Ken Craig
Unreachable by car, without electricity or telephone, over eight miles from any inhabited village, daily life in this dwelling was challenging. But for Orwell, much like his rural existence at the Stores, the solitude and abundant wildlife and rugged beauty was the perfect antidote for the oppressive environment in London.Animal Farm, first edition cover
Orwell got word in August that Animal Farm had not only sold 50,000 copies in the US, but was also now a book-of-the-month club selection, generating an additional 400,000 in sales. In 1946, only Dr. Spock would sell more books.
Sonia Brownell Blair Orwell
Orwell was already up to other romantic intrigue. He had met a much younger and beautiful Sonia Brownell when she was an editor at Horizon. Never one for subtlety, he had already proposed to her previously, basically saying that even if she found him unappealing, he wasn’t going to live much longer.
Eric Blair, aka George Orwell
As an infamous non-believer it was initially difficult to find a cemetery that would accept the writer’s remains until influential friends interceded and had him interred at All Saints Church, Sutton Courtenay, Berkshire. Strangely perverse, even to the end, Orwell had requested that he be buried in the nearest convenient cemetery according to the rites of the Church of England.
