In 1964, the couple adopted a baby girl, called Jane after Jane Austen, a favourite writer of both parents. After the war Garfield worked as a biochemical laboratory technician at the Whittington Hospital in Islington, writing in his spare time until the 1960s, when he was successful enough to write full-time. She would also greatly influence Garfield's writing, giving him suggestions for his writing, including the original idea for Smith. While posted in Belgium he met Vivien Alcock, then an ambulance driver, who would go on to become his second wife (in 1948) and a well-known children's author. For his service in the war he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps. He married Lena Leah Davies in April, 1941, at Golders Green Synagogue but they separated after only a few months. Garfield attended Brighton Grammar School (1932-1938) and went on to study art at Regent Street Polytechnic, but his studies were interrupted first by lack of funds for fees, then by the outbreak of World War II. He wrote more than thirty books and scripted Shakespeare: The Animated Tales for television. He is best known for children's historical novels, though he also wrote for adults. His books are all in print and continue to be loved by children and adults to this day.Leon Garfield FRSL (14 July 1921 – 2 June 1996) was a British writer of fiction. His re-telling of Greek myths The God Beneath the Sea won the Carnegie Medal for children's literature, John Diamond won the Whitbread Award for best children's book, and Smith won the Phoenix Award for children’s literature in 1987. Leon won numerous awards throughout his career. Leon continued writing until his death in June 1996, and received considerable acclaim for completing and publishing Charles Dickens’s unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Several of his other books have been televised, including Black Jack, the film of which was joint winner of the International Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival. He is best known for Smith, which was made into a series by Thames TV and has been in print continuously on both sides of the Atlantic since it was first published. His first published book was the children's pirate novel Jack Holborn, which was adapted as a film, and his second, Devil-in-the-Fog, won the first ever Guardian Award and was serialised for television. After the war he worked at a London hospital, writing in his spare time until the 1960s, when he became successful enough to write full time. He joined the British Army Medical Corps, and met future wife Vivien Alcock (herself later a children’s author) while posted in Belgium. Leon Garfield (1921-1996) was a much-loved author of children's fiction, best known for historical novels and his two volumes of Shakespeare Stories, which were animated for television.Īn art student in his youth, Leon’s studies were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II.

Jack holborn leon garfield