Jerome K. Jerome

Jerome K. Jerome, born on 2 May 1859 in Caldmore, Wallsall, England, was a famous English novelist, playwright and humorist. Before embarking on a literary career, he had worked as a railway clerk, actor, high school teacher and a journalist. In 1889, even though he became well known in the English literary circle with his comic travelogue Three Men In A Boat, success did not come easily to him. Jerome, however, continued to write short stories and satirical essays that he sent to various magazines. Finally, he achieved mild success with his memoir On The Stage And Off (1885) which consisted of comic sketches of his experiences as an actor. This was followed by Idle Thoughts Of An Idle Fellow (1886) initially published as a series of humorous essays in Home Chimes the famous magazine to which Jerome contributed regularly along with other authors like J.M. Barrie and E. Nesbit. Three Men In A Boat and Idle Thoughts Of An Idle Fellow turned Jerome into one of the most influential and celebrated English authors. Jerome K. Jerome also served as an ambulance driver for the French army during World War I. He died at the age of 68 on 14 June 1927 after suffering from a paralytic stroke and cerebral haemorrhage. In memory of the author, a museum was opened in Walsall in 1984, which subsequently closed in 2008.