Jerome K. Jerome
| Famous as | Author |
| Born on | 02 May 1859 |
| Born in | Walsall, Staffordshire, England |
| Died on | 14 June 1927 |
| Nationality | United Kingdom |
| Works & Achievements | Three men in a Boat(1889) |
Jerome K Jerome Childhood
Jerome Klapka Jerome was born on 2nd May, 1859 in
Belsize House, Bradford Street, Walsall, and Stradffordshire, England.
He was born to father Jerome Clapp Jerome and mother Marguerite Jones.
While his father was a non-conformist lay preacher, ironmonger and
architect by profession and his mother was a daughter of a solicitor.
Jerome was their fourth child. He had two sisters, Paulina Deodata,
Blandina Dominica and Brother Milton Melancthon. Jerome lost his father
at an early age of fourteen.
Initially Jerome was registered as Jerome Clap Jerome and later his name was amended as Klapka. Jerome faced a lot of poverty due to bad investment in the local mining industry and debt collectors were frequent visitors in their house. Jerome later described his experiences of childhood in his autobiography My Life and Times (1926).
Education and Early Life
Jerome lost his father at the age of 13 and he lost his mother at
the age of 15. As a young boy Jerome always wanted to join politics and
become a member of parliament but due to the crisis at home front, he
was forced to quit his studies and find work to support his living. He
studied at the Philological School later known as Marylebone but he had
to leave his school for doing a job at the London and North Western
Railway. Initially his work was all about collecting coal and he
continued doing it for four years.
Acting Career
Jerome’s acting career was inspired by his older sister Blandina's
love for the theatre in 1877. Jerome started his acting career under the
stage name Harold Crichton. He joined a repertory troupe and produced
low budget plays with meagre resources. He produced such plays for three
years and at the age of 21, he decided to end his theatre career. He
then tried his hands in becoming a very a journalist, wrote essays,
satires and short stories and over the next few years, but most of these
were rejected. Over the next few years he served as a school teacher, a
packer, and a solicitor's clerk. He tasted success as an actor finally
in 1885, with his play On the Stage.
Writing Career
His writing career started with his collection of humorous essays
Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow published in 1886. Jerome wrote his most
famous work of literature Three Men in a Boat after his return from his
honeymoon on a boat in river Thames. Soon after it’s publication in
1889 it went on to become an instant hit. The two main Protagonists in
the novel were replaced by his friends George Wingrave (George) and Carl
Hentschel (Harris). He created a comic situation in the book which was
no way related or remotely connected to the history of the Thames
region. With its publication, the number of boats went upto fifty
percent following its publication. Within twenty years, the book sold
over a million copies and was later adapted to movies, TV and radio
shows, stage plays, and even a musical. His style of writing influenced
many humorists and satirists in England. Later, he went on to write many
plays, novels and essay but they were not as successful as his book
Three Men in a Boat. In 1892, he edited the Idler. In 1893, he founded
To-Day but had to stop its publication because of an ongoing financial
crisis and a libel suit against him. In 1898, during his short stay at
Germany, he wrote Three Men on the Bummel which was a sequel to Three
Men in a Boat. In 1902, he published the novel, Paul Kelver, which is
considered an autobiographical and wrote the play The Passing of the
Third Floor Back in 1908.Jerome published his autobiography, My Life and Times in 1926. The Borough of Walsall gave him the title Freeman of the Borough.
World War I
Jerome volunteered to offer his service during World War I at 56
years of age. The British Army considered him too old and rejected him
on the basis of his age.
Marriage
Jerome got married to Georgina Elizabeth Henrietta Stanley Marris
(Ettie), who was a divorcee. She had a daughter from her previous
marriage of five years named Elsie. Jerome’s step-daughter died in 1921.
Death
Jerome spent most of his last days at his farmhouse in Ewelme near
Wallingford. He died of stroke and a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of
68 on 14th June, 1927 in Northampton, England. He was
cremated at Golders Green and his ashes were buried at St Mary's Church,
Ewelme, and Oxfordshire alongside his wife, sister and step-daughter.
His Novels
His Autobiography
Anthologies
Short Stories
His Plays
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Jerome K. Jerome Timeline: | ||||
1859- He was born on 2nd May, Walsall, Staffordshire, England
1885- He did the play On the Stage
1886- He published his humorous essays Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
1888- He got married to divorcee Georgina Elizabeth Henrietta Stanley Marris
1889- He published his famous work of literature Three Men in a Boat
1892- He edited the Idler
1893- He founded To-Day
1898- He published sequel Three Men on the Bummel
1902- He published the novel, Paul Kelver
1908- He wrote the play The Passing of the Third Floor Back
1926- Published his autobiography, My Life and Times
1927- He died at the age of 68 on 14th June, in Northampton, England
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