Sue Townsend
| Sue Townsend | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | Susan Lillian Johnstone 2 April 1946 Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom |
| Died | 10 April 2014 (aged 68) Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Novelist, playwright, screenwriter, columnist |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Drama, fiction, screenplay |
| Notable works | Adrian Mole (books), Captain Christmas and the Evil Adults (play) |
| Spouse | Keith Townsend, Colin Broadway (1986–2014; her death) |
| Children | Sean, Daniel, Victoria, Elizabeth |
Susan Lillian "Sue" Townsend, FRSL (2 April 1946 – 10 April 2014) was an English writer and humorist whose work encompasses novels, plays and works of journalism. She was best known for creating the character Adrian Mole.
After writing in secret from the age of 14, Townsend first became known for her plays, her signature character first appearing in a radio drama, but her work soon expanded into other forms. She enjoyed great success in the 1980s, with her Adrian Mole books selling more copies than any other work of fiction in Britain during the decade. This series, which eventually encompassed nine books, takes the form of the character's diaries. The earliest books recount the life of a teenage boy during the Thatcher years, but the sequence eventually depicts Adrian Mole in middle age. The Queen and I (1992), another popular work which was well received, was an outlet for her republican sentiments, although the Royal Family is still rendered with sympathy. Both the earliest Adrian Mole book and The Queen and I were adapted for the stage and enjoyed successful runs in London's West End.
Townsend was poor until well into her thirties, and used her experiences of hardship in her work. In her later years she suffered ill health, in part related to the diabetes she developed in the mid-1980s, and in her last years endured serious sight and mobility problems.
Townsend was born in Leicester, the eldest of five sisters. (Some sources, including the BBC News obituary, have Townsend as the oldest of three daughters). Her father had worked at a factory making jet engines before becoming a postman, while her mother worked in a factory canteen. She attended Glen Hills Primary School, where the school secretary was Mrs Claricotes, a name she used for the school secretary in the Adrian Mole books. At the age of eight, Townsend contracted mumps, and was obliged to stay at home. Her mother bought a collection of Richmal Crompton's Just William books at a jumble sale which Townsend read avidly. Later, she said the William Brown character was an influence on her best known creation.
After failing her 11-plus exam, Townsend went to the secondary modern South Wigston High School. During her childhood, while up a tree playing with her peers, she witnessed the murder of a fellow schoolgirl, but the children were not believed.
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