Arnold Wesker

Sir Arnold Wesker
Wesker at the Durham Book Festival in 2008
Born	(1932-05-24)24 May 1932 Stepney, London
Died	12 April 2016(2016-04-12) (aged 83) Brighton, England
Website	arnoldwesker.com

Sir Arnold Wesker FRSL (24 May 1932 – 12 April 2016) was a British dramatist known for his contributions to world drama. He was the author of 50 plays, four volumes of short stories, two volumes of essays, a book on journalism, a children's book, extensive journalism, poetry, and other assorted writings. His plays have been translated into up to 20 different languages and performed worldwide.

Wesker was born in Stepney, London, in 1932, the son of Leah (née Cecile Leah Perlmutter), a cook, and Joseph Wesker, a tailor's machinist, and an active communist. He was delivered by Samuel Sacks, father of neurologist Oliver Sacks. He attended a Jewish Infants School in Whitechapel. His education was then fragmented during World War II. He was briefly evacuated to Ely, Cambridgeshire, before returning to London where he attended Dean Street School during the Blitz. He then returned to live with his parents who had moved to a council flat in Hackney, East London, where he attended Northwold Road School. He then attended Upton House Central School, Hackney, from 1943. This was a school where emphasis was placed on teaching office skills including typing to brighter boys who had not been selected for grammar school places. He was then evacuated again to Llantrisant, South Wales. He was accepted in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art but could not afford to take up his place there. Later he went on to work as cook, furniture maker, bookseller and served for two years in the Royal Air Force.