Meet the Durrells
The Durrell family is made up of Louisa Durrell, the mother, and the four kids – Lawrence, Leslie, Margo, and Gerald. They were all born in India and moved to Bournemouth, England, as a family when their father died.
Lawrence (Larry) Durrell
Lawrence, a novelist and screenwriter known for his book The Alexandria Quartet, was the first to move to Corfu, and the rest of the family soon followed suit. He wrote 18 novels and 6 travel books based on his travel experiences, as well as humor books, poetry, essays, and screenplays. He was once nominated for a Nobel Prize. When Lawrence Durrell moved to Corfu, he was newly married and sought to find somewhere remote. He moved to the north of the island of Corfu with his wife Nancy and wrote his newest novel, The Black Book(1938).
Gerald (Gerry) Durrell
On Corfu, when he arrived at 10 years old, Gerald was known for keeping local animals as pets, and he ran wild on the island. The young boy also made friends with Theodore Stephanides, a poet, doctor, and philosopher who became his mentor. Gerald says that his love of wildlife comes from his time with Theodore, when they collected animals. He eventually worked for zoos and even started his own zoo called the Durrell Wildlife Park because he did not like how animals were treated elsewhere. Gerald Durrell is known as an author and wrote the bestselling Corfu Trilogy. Among the titles are: My Family and Other Animals, followed by Birds, Beasts and Relatives and The Garden of the Gods.
Margaret Durrell
Margaret was the middle child and also developed a love for the island. While living there, she fell in love with an RAF pilot. She married him in 1940 and then fled during the war to South Africa. Margaret later moved to Bournemouth, but always considered Corfu her home. She ran a boarding house in Bournemouth and wrote a book called “Whatever Happened to Margo?” This book retold stories about her curious guests, her love story with a trombone player, and visits from her brother Gerry Durrell with his troupe of exotic animals.
Visiting Corfu
You can reach Corfu either by plane (The airport on Corfu offers international flights) or by ferry from Greece's western port cities. If you plan to visit or stay at Villa Posillipo, you will need to rent a car. Historical Sights on Corfu include the Old Town of Corfu (a UNESCO site), Spianada Square, Agios Spyridonas Church, and the famous Pontikonisi. The Achilleion Palace and Panagia Palaiokastritsa Monastery are also worth visiting if you leave Corfu town.
History & Culture
