Jacquie Durrell

She separated from and divorced Gerald Durrell in 1979, citing his increasing work pressure, and associated alcoholism.

Jacquie Durrell is the author of two autobiographical accounts concerning her life with Gerald Durrell, Beasts in My Bed (footnotes by Gerald Durrell) (Collins, 1967), and Intimate Relations (Collins, 1976). Both of her books are written in the same humorous, light-hearted tone as her husband’s own accounts. They have a dry wit and humour, and Beasts in My Bed also features (often deliberately contradictory) footnotes by Gerald Durrell. Her books have been translated into several languages, including Russian, Dutch, Hungarian and Latvian.

Jacquie featured in three TV series presented by Gerald Durrell: To Bafut With Beagles, BBC (1958), Look (Argentinian Expedition), single episode of series, BBC (1961) and Two in the Bush, BBC (1963).

She was born Jacqueline Sonia Wolfenden. Jacquie was 19 when she met Gerald Durrell, during his first stay in her father’s hotel in Manchester after an animal-collecting expedition. The two began dating, although initially Jacquie claimed that she was very reluctant to become Durrell’s girlfriend. Jacquie’s father did not approve of her relationship with Durrell, and was completely antipathetic towards the idea of the couple’s marriage, chiefly because he considered that Durrell had no money and apparently no career prospects. Jacquie could not marry without her parents’ permission until she was 21, so after her 21st birthday, she and Durrell eloped and married in Bournemouth on 26 February 1951. Gerald Durrell’s mother, sister Margaret Durrell and brother Leslie Durrell helped to organise and attended the wedding and subsequent party. In marrying Durrell, Jacquie gave up her potential career as an opera singer for which she had been in training since the age of 17. She also gave up her relationship with her father – after her elopement, she never spoke to any of her relatives again.

Jacqueline Sonia Durrell (née Wolfenden; born 17 November 1929 in Manchester, United Kingdom) is a British author. Born Jacquie Wolfenden, she married naturalist Gerald Durrell and worked alongside him for many years. She assisted him on several of his animal collecting expeditions, and with Jersey Zoo that he founded. The Durrells divorced in 1979.