Archie Christie

Archibald “Archie” Christie, CMG, DSO (30 September 1889 – 20 December 1962) was a British businessman and military officer. He was the first husband of mystery writer Dame Agatha Christie. They wed in 1914 and divorced in 1928. During that period Agatha wrote some of the most renowned detective novels. They separated in 1927 after a major rift due to his infidelity and obtained a divorce the following year. Shortly after this, Christie married Nancy Neele, and the couple lived quietly for the rest of their lives. Christie became a successful businessman and was invited to be on the boards of several major companies.

Archibald Christie was born in 1889 in India. His father, also called Archibald Christie, was in the Indian Civil Service. It is said that he was a judge; however, his death notice in the journal called The Law Times states that he was a barrister. His mother was Ellen Ruth "Peg" Coates, who is often mentioned in her daughter-in-law (Agatha)'s autobiography. Peg was born in Portumna, Galway, Ireland, in 1862. Her father was Dr Samuel Coates (died 1879). Her brother was in the Indian Medical Service, and she was staying with him when she met Archibald Christie (senior), who was thirteen years older than she was. In 1888, at the age of 26, she married him. The couple had two sons, Archie and Campbell.

Christie was sent to England to be educated. He was a boarder at Hillside Boys School in Godalming for some years. In 1901, when Christie was eleven, his father died. Two years later, Peg Christie married William Hemsley, a schoolteacher at Clifton College, Bristol, and Christie moved there to complete his education.

After he left school, he passed the entrance exam to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and, in 1909, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery. He then joined the 138th Battery Royal Field Artillery. He wanted to be a pilot so he paid for private lessons in the Bristol Flying School at Brooklands and gained his aviators' certificate on 12 July 1912. He met Agatha Miller when he was invited to a ball on 12 October 1912 by Lady Clifford at her grand home Ugbrooke House in Chudleigh. A description of her meeting with Christie is given by Agatha in her autobiography:

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