117-424: Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan , ( née Miller ; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was a British author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple . She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap , which has been performed in
234-554: A Morris Cowley , was discovered at Newlands Corner in Surrey , parked above a chalk quarry with an expired driving licence and clothes inside. It was feared that she might have drowned herself in the Silent Pool , a nearby beauty spot. The disappearance quickly became a news story. The press sought to satisfy their readers' "hunger for sensation, disaster, and scandal". Home Secretary William Joynson-Hicks pressured police, and
351-767: A Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse (unpaid) then as a dispenser at £16 (approximately equivalent to £1,130 in 2023) a year from 1917 after qualifying as an apothecary's assistant. Her war service ended in September 1918 when Archie was reassigned to London, and they rented a flat in St. John's Wood . Christie had long been a fan of detective novels, having enjoyed Wilkie Collins 's The Woman in White and The Moonstone , and Arthur Conan Doyle 's early Sherlock Holmes stories. She wrote her first detective novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles , in 1916. It featured Hercule Poirot ,
468-678: A barrister in the Indian Civil Service , Archie was a Royal Artillery officer who was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps in April 1913. The couple quickly fell in love. Three months after their first meeting, Archie proposed marriage, and Agatha accepted. With the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, Archie was sent to France to fight. They married on Christmas Eve 1914 at Emmanuel Church, Clifton , Bristol, close to
585-630: A birth certificate or birth register may by that fact alone become the person's legal name . The assumption in the Western world is often that the name from birth (or perhaps from baptism or brit milah ) will persist to adulthood in the normal course of affairs—either throughout life or until marriage. Some reasons for changes of a person's name include middle names , diminutive forms, changes relating to parental status (due to one's parents' divorce or adoption by different parents), and gender transition . The French and English-adopted née
702-633: A chief minister and nine ministers, makes up the leading body of the government of Jersey . Each minister may appoint up to two assistant ministers. A chief executive is head of the civil service. Some governmental functions are carried out in the island's parishes . Jersey is a distinct jurisdiction for the purposes of conflict of laws , separate from the other Channel Islands, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Jersey law has been influenced by several different legal traditions, in particular Norman customary law , English common law and modern French civil law . Jersey's legal system
819-577: A man's surname at birth that has subsequently been replaced or changed. The diacritic mark (the acute accent ) over the e is considered significant to its spelling, and ultimately its meaning, but is sometimes omitted. According to Oxford University 's Dictionary of Modern English Usage , the terms are typically placed after the current surname (e.g., " Margaret Thatcher , née Roberts" or " Bill Clinton , né Blythe"). Since they are terms adopted into English (from French), they do not have to be italicized , but they often are. In Polish tradition ,
936-709: A "self-governing, democratic country with the power of self-determination ". Because Jersey is a dependency of the British Crown , King Charles III reigns in Jersey. " The Crown " is defined by the Law Officers of the Crown as the "Crown in right of Jersey". The King's representative and adviser in the island is the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey – Vice-Admiral Jerry Kyd since 8 October 2022. He
1053-659: A blocking mechanism for depressions that originate in the North Atlantic and that produce stratiform clouds and rain; these are deflected northwards towards the UK mainland. Furthermore, the Azores High further reduces the type of convective cloud formations (particularly Cumulus and Stratocumulus ) that are common over more northern and inland areas of the UK during summer through subsidence . In 2011, Jersey generated controversy for calling itself "the warmest place in
1170-671: A former Belgian police officer with "magnificent moustaches" and a head "exactly the shape of an egg", who had taken refuge in Britain after Germany invaded Belgium. Christie's inspiration for the character came from Belgian refugees living in Torquay, and the Belgian soldiers she helped to treat as a volunteer nurse during the First World War. Her original manuscript was rejected by Hodder & Stoughton and Methuen . After keeping
1287-599: A government language, strong cultural ties to mainland Normandy as a part of the Normandy region , and place names with French or Norman origins. The island has very close cultural links with its neighbouring islands in the Bailiwick of Guernsey , and they share a good-natured rivalry. Jersey and its people have been described as a nation. The Channel Islands are mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary as
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#17327660280061404-585: A hamlet near Wallingford . This was their main residence for the rest of their lives and the place where Christie did much of her writing. This house also bears a blue plaque. Christie led a quiet life despite being known in Wallingford; from 1951 to 1976 she served as president of the local amateur dramatic society . The couple acquired the Greenway Estate in Devon as a summer residence in 1938; it
1521-660: A history of fishing in the Bailiwick's waters. The management of this permit system has caused tension between the French and Jersey authorities, with the French threatening to cut off Jersey's electricity supply in May 2021. Before the end of the transition period after the UK withdrew from the EU in 2020, Jersey had a special relationship with the EU. It was part of the EU customs union and there
1638-702: A large grant of land in the American colonies in between the Hudson and Delaware rivers, which he promptly named New Jersey . It is now a state in the United States. In 1769, the island suffered food supply shortages, leading to an insurrection on 28 September known as the Corn Riots . The States met at Elizabeth Castle and decided to request help from the King. However, in 1771 the Crown demanded reforms to
1755-498: A large proportion of the island's retail and employment, such as the finance industry. Outside of the town, many islanders live in suburban and rural settlements, especially along main roads leading out of town, and even the more rural areas of the island have considerable amounts of development (St Ouen, the least densely populated parish, still has 270 persons per square kilometre ). The south and east coasts from St Aubin to Gorey are largely urbanised. The second smaller urban area
1872-467: A meagre income. Two weeks after Boehmer's death, Mary's sister, Margaret West, married widowed dry goods merchant Nathaniel Frary Miller, a US citizen. To assist Mary financially, Margaret and Nathaniel agreed to foster nine-year-old Clara; the family settled in Timperley , Cheshire. The couple had no children together, but Nathaniel had a 17-year-old son, Frederick "Fred", from his previous marriage. Fred
1989-413: A newspaper offered a £100 reward (equivalent to £7,500 in 2023). More than 1,000 police officers, 15,000 volunteers, and several aeroplanes searched the rural landscape. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave a spirit medium one of Christie's gloves to find her. Christie's disappearance made international headlines, including featuring on the front page of The New York Times . Despite the extensive manhunt, she
2106-542: A play called The Blue Beard of Unhappiness with female friends. At 18, Christie wrote her first short story, "The House of Beauty", while recovering in bed from an illness. It consisted of about 6,000 words about "madness and dreams", subjects of fascination for her. Her biographer Janet Morgan has commented that, despite "infelicities of style", the story was "compelling". (The story became an early version of her story "The House of Dreams" .) Other stories followed, most of them illustrating her interest in spiritualism and
2223-406: A result, her parents and sister supervised her studies in reading, writing and basic arithmetic, a subject she particularly enjoyed. They also taught her music, and she learned to play the piano and the mandolin. Christie was a voracious reader from an early age. Some of her earliest memories were of reading children's books by Mrs Molesworth and Edith Nesbit . When a little older, she moved on to
2340-488: A school curriculum following that of England, and the popularity of British sports , including football and cricket . The island also has a strong Norman-French culture, such as its historic dialect of the Norman language, Jèrriais , being one of only two places in Normandy with government status for the language (the other being Guernsey ), as well as the use of standard French in legal matters and officially in use as
2457-522: A thriving smuggling industry. During the Second World War , the island was invaded and occupied for five years by Nazi Germany . The island was liberated on 9 May 1945, which is now celebrated as the island's national day. Jersey is a self-governing parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy , with its own financial , legal and judicial systems, and the power of self-determination . Jersey's constitutional relationship
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#17327660280062574-568: A tour of his expedition site in Iraq. Christie and Mallowan married in Edinburgh in September 1930. Their marriage lasted until Christie's death in 1976. She accompanied Mallowan on his archaeological expeditions, and her travels with him contributed background to several of her novels set in the Middle East. Other novels (such as Peril at End House ) were set in and around Torquay, where she
2691-708: Is a member of the British-Irish Council , the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie . Jersey independence has in the past been discussed in the States Assembly. Former external relations minister Sir Philip Bailhache has at various times warned that the island may need to become independent. It is not Jersey government policy to seek independence, but
2808-766: Is a point of contact between Jersey ministers and the UK Government and carries out some functions in relation to immigration control, deportation , naturalisation and the issue of passports. In 1973, the Royal Commission on the Constitution set out the duties of the Crown as including: ultimate responsibility for the 'good government' of the Crown Dependencies; ratification of island legislation by Order-in-Council ( royal assent ); international representation, subject to consultation with
2925-674: Is an island measuring 46.2 square miles (119.6 km ) (or 66,436 vergées ), including reclaimed land and intertidal zone . It lies in the English Channel , about 12 nautical miles (22 km ; 14 mi ) from the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy, France, and about 87 nautical miles (161 km; 100 mi) south of Great Britain. It is the largest and southernmost of the Channel Islands and part of
3042-400: Is divided into twelve parishes (which have civil and religious functions), the largest being Saint Ouen and the smallest St. Clement. They are all named after their parish church. The connétable is the head of the parish. They are elected at island general elections and sit ex oficio in the States Assembly. The parishes have various civil administrative functions, such as roads (managed by
3159-622: Is overstated, and points out that "in later life she sought to protect him against misrepresentation as powerfully as if he were her own flesh and blood". Unlike Doyle, she resisted the temptation to kill her detective off while he was still popular. She married off Poirot's " Watson ", Captain Arthur Hastings , in an attempt to trim her cast commitments. Miss Jane Marple was introduced in a series of short stories that began publication in December 1927 and were subsequently collected under
3276-460: Is reserved to the Crown, Jersey has been developing its own international identity over recent years. It negotiates directly with foreign governments on various matters: for example, tax information exchange agreements (TIEAs) have been signed directly by the island with several countries. The government maintains offices (some in partnership with Guernsey) in Caen , London and Brussels . Jersey
3393-560: Is the Les Quennevais area in St Brelade, which is home to a small precinct of shops, a school , a park, and a leisure centre. Most people across Jersey regularly travel from the rural settlements to St Helier and from the town to the rural areas for work and leisure purposes. Housing costs in Jersey are very high. The Jersey House Price Index has at least doubled between 2002 and 2020. The mix-adjusted house price for Jersey
3510-416: Is the feminine past participle of naître , which means "to be born". Né is the masculine form. The term née , having feminine grammatical gender , can be used to denote a woman's surname at birth that has been replaced or changed. In most English-speaking cultures, it is specifically applied to a woman's maiden name after her surname has changed due to marriage. The term né can be used to denote
3627-713: Is therefore described as 'mixed' or ' pluralistic ', and sources of law are in French and English languages, although since the 1950s the main working language of the legal system is English. The principal court is the Royal Court , with appeals to the Jersey Court of Appeal and, ultimately, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council . The Bailiff is head of the judiciary; the Bailiff and
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3744-581: Is with the Crown ; it is not part of the United Kingdom . The Bailiff is the civil head, president of the states and head of the judiciary; the lieutenant governor represents the head of state, the British monarch ; and the chief minister is the head of government . Jersey's defence and international representation – as well as certain policy areas, such as nationality law – are the responsibility of
3861-403: Is £567,000, higher than any UK region (UK average: £249,000) including London (average: £497,000; highest of any UK region). The island has an oceanic climate , with cool to mild winters and lukewarm to warm summers. The highest temperature recorded was 37.9 °C (100.2 °F), on 18 July 2022 , and the lowest temperature recorded was −10.3 °C (13.5 °F), on 5 January 1894. 2022
3978-456: The (Simplon) Orient Express to Istanbul and then to Baghdad . In Iraq, she became friends with archaeologist Leonard Woolley and his wife, who invited her to return to their dig in February 1930. On that second trip, she met archaeologist Max Mallowan , 13 years her junior. In a 1977 interview, Mallowan recounted his first meeting with Christie, when he took her and a group of tourists on
4095-745: The Ambassadors Theatre in the West End on 25 November 1952, and by 2018 there had been more than 27,500 performances. The play was temporarily closed in 2020 because of COVID-19 lockdowns in London before it reopened in 2021. In 1955, Christie was the first recipient of the Mystery Writers of America 's Grand Master Award . Later that year, Witness for the Prosecution received an Edgar Award for best play. In 2013, she
4212-677: The BBC had acquired exclusive TV rights to Christie's works in the UK (previously associated with ITV ) and made plans with Acorn's co-operation to air new productions for the 125th anniversary of Christie's birth in 2015. As part of that deal, the BBC broadcast Partners in Crime and And Then There Were None , both in 2015. Subsequent productions have included The Witness for the Prosecution but plans to televise Ordeal by Innocence at Christmas 2017 were delayed because of controversy surrounding one of
4329-757: The Nazi occupation , a resistance cell was created by communist activist Norman Le Brocq and the Jersey Communist Party , whose communist ideology of forming a 'United Front' led to the creation of the Jersey Democratic Movement. The Channel Islands had to wait for the German surrender to be liberated. 9 May is celebrated as the island's Liberation Day , where there are celebrations in Liberation Square. After Liberation,
4446-524: The October 2011 elections . Jersey has one of the lowest voter turnouts internationally, with just 33% of the electorate voting in 2005 , putting it well below the 77% European average for that year. From the 2022 elections , the role of senators was abolished and the eight senators were replaced with an increased number of deputies. The 37 deputies are now elected from nine super constituencies, rather than in individual parishes. Although efforts were made
4563-485: The UK government , but Jersey still has a separate international identity. The island has a large financial services industry, which generates 40% of its GVA . British cultural influence on the island is evident in its use of English as the main language and pound sterling as its primary currency. Additional British cultural similarities include: driving on the left, access to British television, newspapers and other media,
4680-478: The West End of London since 1952. A writer during the " Golden Age of Detective Fiction ", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime"—a moniker which is now trademarked by her estate—or the "Queen of Mystery". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott . In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as
4797-865: The leasehold of a villa in Torquay named Ashfield . It was here that their third and last child, Agatha, was born in 1890. She described her childhood as "very happy". The Millers lived mainly in Devon but often visited her step-grandmother/great-aunt Margaret Miller in Ealing and maternal grandmother Mary Boehmer in Bayswater . A year was spent abroad with her family, in the French Pyrenees , Paris, Dinard , and Guernsey . Because her siblings were so much older, and there were few children in their neighbourhood, Christie spent much of her time playing alone with her pets and imaginary companions. She eventually made friends with other girls in Torquay, noting that "one of
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4914-459: The paranormal . These included " The Call of Wings " and "The Little Lonely God". Magazines rejected all her early submissions, made under pseudonyms (including Mac Miller, Nathaniel Miller, and Sydney West); some submissions were later revised and published under her real name, often with new titles. Around the same time, Christie began work on her first novel, Snow Upon the Desert . Writing under
5031-581: The Air Force at the end of the war and began working in the City financial sector on a relatively low salary. They still employed a maid. Her second novel, The Secret Adversary (1922), featuring new detective couple Tommy and Tuppence , was also published by The Bodley Head. It earned her £50 (approximately equivalent to £3,400 in 2023). A third novel, Murder on the Links , again featured Poirot, as did
5148-424: The Bailiwick of Jersey, such as Les Minquiers and Les Écrehous, however unlike the smaller islands of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, none of these are permanently inhabited. The largest settlement is the town of St Helier, including the built-up area of southern St Helier and neighbouring areas such as Georgetown, which also plays host to the island's seat of government. The town is the central business district, hosting
5265-646: The British Isles" during an advertising campaign, as Jersey is neither the place with the highest maximum temperature in the British Isles (40.3°C was recorded in Coningsby , Lincolnshire in July 2022 ) or the highest winter temperatures in the British Isles (which would be the Isles of Scilly ). Typical wind speeds vary between 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph) and 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph). During
5382-497: The British Isles, with a maximum land elevation of 143 m (469 ft) above sea level. About 24% of the island is built-up. 52% of the land area is dedicated to cultivation and around 18% is the natural environment. It lies within longitude -2° W and latitude 49° N . It has a coastline that is 43 miles (70 km) long and a total area of 46.2 square miles (119.6 km ). It measures roughly 9 miles (14 km) from west to east and 5 miles (8 km) north to south, which gives it
5499-634: The Conqueror became King of England in 1066, the island remained part of the Norman possessions. However, in 1204, when Normandy was returned to the French king, the island remained a possession of the English crown, though never incorporated into England. Traditionally it is said that Jersey's self-governance originates from the Constitutions of King John , however this is disputed. Nevertheless,
5616-444: The Deputy Bailiff are appointed by the Crown. Other members of the island's judiciary are appointed by the Bailiff. The external relations of Jersey are overseen by the External Relations Minister of the Government of Jersey. In 2007, the chief minister and the UK Lord Chancellor signed an agreement that established a framework for the development of the international identity of Jersey. Although diplomatic representation
5733-426: The Desert but suggested a second novel. Meanwhile, Christie's social activities expanded, with country house parties, riding, hunting, dances, and roller skating. She had short-lived relationships with four men and an engagement to another. In October 1912, she was introduced to Archibald "Archie" Christie at a dance given by Lord and Lady Clifford at Ugbrooke , about 12 miles (19 km) from Torquay. The son of
5850-430: The European mainland occasionally occur, but are usually not severe. Thunderstorms advecting north from the Bay of Biscay tend to occur during the summer if the influence of the Azores High temporarily weakens and a cut-off low develops in the region. Cool season thunderstorms are more common compared with other parts of Europe, as the relatively warm sea surface temperatures drive moderate surface based convection into
5967-399: The Germans constructed many fortifications using slave labour imported onto the island from many different countries occupied or at war with Germany. After 1944, supplies from France were interrupted by the D-Day landings , and food on the island became scarce. The SS Vega was sent to the island carrying Red Cross supplies and news of the success of the Allied advance in Europe. During
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#17327660280066084-419: The Middle East and used her first-hand knowledge of this profession in her fiction. According to UNESCO 's Index Translationum , she remains the most-translated individual author . Her novel And Then There Were None is one of the top-selling books of all time, with approximately 100 million copies sold. Christie's stage play The Mousetrap holds the world record for the longest initial run. It opened at
6201-401: The Road Committee) and policing (through the Honorary Police ). Each parish is governed through direct democracy at parish assemblies, consisting of all eligible voters resident in the parish. The Procureurs du Bien Public are the legal and financial representatives of these parishes. The parishes of Jersey are further divided into vingtaines (or, in St. Ouen, cueillettes ). Jersey
6318-530: The States was reformed, becoming wholly democratically elected, and universal franchise was implemented. Since liberation, the island has grown in population and adopted new industries, especially the finance industry. Jersey is a Crown Dependency , and is not part of the United Kingdom, being officially part of the British Islands . As one of the Crown Dependencies, Jersey is autonomous and self-governing, with its own independent legal, administrative and fiscal systems. Jersey's government has described Jersey as
6435-427: The Ulverscroft Large Print Book Publishers. Mallowan, who remarried in 1977, died in 1978 and was buried next to Christie. Christie was unhappy about becoming "an employed wage slave", and for tax reasons set up a private company in 1955, Agatha Christie Limited, to hold the rights to her works. In about 1959 she transferred her 278-acre home, Greenway Estate, to her daughter, Rosalind Hicks . In 1968, when Christie
6552-401: The affectionate name among locals of "nine-by-five". The island is characterised by a number of valleys which generally run north-to-south, such as Waterworks Valley, Grands Vaux, Mont les Vaux, although a few run in other directions, such as Le Mourier Valley. The highest point on the island is Les Platons at 136 m (446 ft). There are several smaller island groups that are part of
6669-420: The best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies. Christie was born into a wealthy upper-middle-class family in Torquay , Devon, and was largely home-schooled. She was initially an unsuccessful writer with six consecutive rejections, but this changed in 1920 when The Mysterious Affair at Styles , featuring detective Hercule Poirot, was published. Her first husband
6786-625: The cast members. The three-part adaptation aired in April 2018. A three-part adaptation of The A.B.C. Murders starring John Malkovich and Rupert Grint began filming in June 2018 and was first broadcast in December 2018. A two-part adaptation of The Pale Horse was broadcast on BBC1 in February 2020. Death Comes as the End will be the next BBC adaptation. Since 2020, reissues of Christie's Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot novels by HarperCollins have removed "passages containing descriptions, insults or references to ethnicity". Christie's first published book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles ,
6903-410: The chief pharmacist at UCH. In 1977, a thallium poisoning case was solved by British medical personnel who had read Christie's book and recognised the symptoms she described. The British intelligence agency MI5 investigated Christie after a character called Major Bletchley appeared in her 1941 thriller N or M? , which was about a hunt for a pair of deadly fifth columnists in wartime England. MI5
7020-457: The cinema, or for wireless and television." Further, Dame Agatha's private pleasures were gardening – she won local prizes for horticulture – and buying furniture for her various houses. She was a shy person: she disliked public appearances, but she was friendly and sharp-witted to meet. By inclination as well as breeding, she belonged to the English upper middle class. She wrote about, and for, people like herself. That
7137-421: The city, and Christie continued to work hard at her writing. After living in a series of apartments in London, they bought a house in Sunningdale , Berkshire, which they renamed Styles after the mansion in Christie's first detective novel. Christie's mother, Clarissa Miller, died in April 1926. They had been exceptionally close, and the loss sent Christie into a deep depression. In August 1926, reports appeared in
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#17327660280067254-454: The coast of north-west France. It is the largest of the Channel Islands and is 14 miles (23 km) from the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy. The Bailiwick consists of the main island of Jersey and some surrounding uninhabited islands and rocks including Les Dirouilles , Les Écréhous , Les Minquiers , and Les Pierres de Lecq . Jersey was part of the Duchy of Normandy , whose dukes became kings of England from 1066. After Normandy
7371-514: The cold, dry air aloft. This tends to result in small hail and weak waterspouts driven by convection and frequent shear brought on by cold fronts . In November 2023, Jersey was hit by extratropical Storm Ciarán , causing heavy rainfall, extremely high winds with gusts of up to 104mph. A supercell thunderstorm associated with the cold front of this system hit Jersey at around midnight on 2 November 2023. With severe wind shear , exceptional storm-relative helicity and temperature contrast of
7488-541: The company. In 2020, James Prichard was the company's chairman. Mathew Prichard also holds the copyright to some of his grandmother's later literary works including The Mousetrap . Christie's work continues to be developed in a range of adaptations. In 1998, Booker sold its shares in Agatha Christie Limited (at the time earning £2,100,000, approximately equivalent to £4,700,000 in 2023 annual revenue) for £10,000,000 (approximately equivalent to £22,200,000 in 2023) to Chorion , whose portfolio of authors' works included
7605-401: The construction of two railway lines, the improvement of transport links to England, and the construction of new piers and harbours in St Helier. This grew a tourism industry in the island and led to the immigration of thousands of English residents, leading to a cultural shift towards a more anglicised island culture. Island politics was divisively split between the conservative Laurel party and
7722-465: The cooler months, extratropical cyclones can produce gales somewhat regularly. Snow is very rare in Jersey. The last significant snowfall event occurred in March 2013, when 5.5 inches (14cm) of snow fell. However, the most recent measurable snowfall event occurred on 8-9 January 2024, when 3-5cm of snow fell, significantly more than forecasted. Extreme weather is rare due to the island's mild climate. Spring and summer thunderstorms originating from
7839-621: The event to embarrass her husband but did not anticipate the resulting public melodrama. Christie's biographer Laura Thompson provides an alternative view that Christie disappeared during a nervous breakdown, conscious of her actions but not in emotional control of herself. Public reaction at the time was largely negative, supposing a publicity stunt or an attempt to frame her husband for murder. In January 1927, Christie, looking "very pale", sailed with her daughter and secretary to Las Palmas , Canary Islands, to "complete her convalescence", returning three months later. Christie petitioned for divorce and
7956-411: The fictional Chimneys, Stonygates, and other houses in her stories are mostly Abney Hall in various forms." During World War II, Christie moved to London and lived in a flat at the Isokon in Hampstead , whilst working in the pharmacy at University College Hospital (UCH), London, where she updated her knowledge of poisons. Her later novel The Pale Horse was based on a suggestion from Harold Davis,
8073-423: The first Britons to surf standing up, and extended their time there by three months to practise. She is remembered at the Museum of British Surfing as having said about surfing, "Oh it was heaven! Nothing like rushing through the water at what seems to you a speed of about two hundred miles an hour. It is one of the most perfect physical pleasures I have known." When they returned to England, Archie resumed work in
8190-407: The following: Sarnia , Caesarea , Barsa , Silia and Andium , but Jersey cannot be identified specifically because none corresponds directly to the present names. The name Caesarea has been used as the Latin name for Jersey (also in its French version Césarée ) since William Camden 's Britannia , and is used in titles of associations and institutions today. The Latin name Caesarea
8307-458: The highlights of my existence" was her appearance with them in a youth production of Gilbert and Sullivan 's The Yeomen of the Guard , in which she played the hero, Colonel Fairfax. According to Christie, Clara believed she should not learn to read until she was eight; thanks to her curiosity, she was reading by the age of four. Her sister had been sent to a boarding school, but their mother insisted that Christie receive her education at home. As
8424-732: The home of his mother and stepfather, when Archie was on home leave. Rising through the ranks, he was posted back to Britain in September 1918 as a colonel in the Air Ministry . Christie involved herself in the war effort as a member of the Voluntary Aid Detachment of the British Red Cross . From October 1914 to May 1915, then from June 1916 to September 1918, she worked 3,400 hours in the Town Hall Red Cross Hospital , Torquay, first as
8541-652: The integrity of her creations" and disapproved of " merchandising " activities. Upon her death on 28 October 2004, the Greenway Estate passed to her son Mathew Prichard. After his stepfather's death in 2005, Prichard donated Greenway and its contents to the National Trust . Christie's family and family trusts , including great-grandson James Prichard, continue to own the 36% stake in Agatha Christie Limited, and remain associated with
8658-469: The island authorities before concluding any agreement which would apply to them; ensuring the islands meet their international obligations; and defence. Jersey's unicameral legislature is the States Assembly . It includes 49 elected members: 12 connétables (often called "constables", heads of parishes ) and 37 deputies (representing constituencies), all elected for four-year terms as from
8775-491: The island by migrants from Brittany in c. fifth – sixth century CE. In the sixth century, the island's patron saint Helier lived at the Hermitage on L'Islet (now Elizabeth Castle ). Legend states that Helier was beheaded by raiders and subsequently lifted his head and walked to shore. In the ninth century the island was raided by Vikings and in 933 it was annexed to Normandy by William Longsword . When Duke William
8892-631: The island continued to follow Norman customs and laws. The King also appointed a Bailiff and a Warden (now Lieutenant-Governor ). The period of English rule was marked by wars between England and France, as such a military fortress was built at Mont Orgueil . During the Tudor period , the split between the Church of England and the Vatican led to islanders adopting the Protestant religion. During
9009-502: The island is prepared if needs to do so. Jersey is a third-party European country to the EU. Since 1 January 2021, Jersey has been part of the UK-EU Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement for the purposes of goods and fishing. Goods exported from the island into Europe are not subject to tariffs , and Jersey is solely responsible for management of its territorial waters ; however, permits may be granted to EU fishermen who have
9126-467: The island since at least 12,000 BCE , with evidence of habitation in the Palaeolithic period ( La Cotte de St Brelade ) and Neolithic dolmens, such as La Hougue Bie . Evidence of Bronze Age and early Iron Age settlements can be found in many locations around the island. Archaeological evidence of Roman influence has been found, in particular at Les Landes . Christianity was brought to
9243-692: The island's governance, leading to the Code of 1771 and removed the powers of the Royal Court to make laws without the States . In 1781, during the American Revolutionary War , the island was invaded by a French force which captured St Helier , but was defeated by Major Peirson 's army at the Battle of Jersey . The 19th century saw the improvement of the road network under General Don,
9360-508: The literary estates of Enid Blyton and Dennis Wheatley . In February 2012, after a management buyout , Chorion began to sell off its literary assets. This included the sale of Chorion's 64% stake in Agatha Christie Limited to Acorn Media UK. In 2014, RLJ Entertainment Inc. (RLJE) acquired Acorn Media UK, renamed it Acorn Media Enterprises , and incorporated it as the RLJE UK development arm. In late February 2014, media reports stated that
9477-543: The press that Christie had gone to a village near Biarritz to recuperate from a "breakdown" caused by "overwork". In August 1926, Archie asked Christie for a divorce. He had fallen in love with Nancy Neele, a friend of Major Belcher. On 3 December 1926, the pair quarrelled after Archie announced his plan to spend the weekend with friends, unaccompanied by his wife. Late that evening, Christie disappeared from their home in Sunningdale. The following morning, her car,
9594-592: The progressive Rose party, as the lie of power shifted increasingly to the States from the Crown. In the 1850s, the French author Victor Hugo lived in Jersey, but was expelled for insulting the Queen, so he moved on to Guernsey . During the Second World War , 6,500 Jersey residents were evacuated by their own choice to the UK out of a total population of 50,000. Jersey was occupied by Germany from 1 July 1940 until 9 May 1945, when Germany surrendered. During this time
9711-508: The pseudonym Monosyllaba, she set the book in Cairo and drew upon her recent experiences there. She was disappointed when the six publishers she contacted declined the work. Clara suggested that her daughter ask for advice from the successful novelist Eden Phillpotts , a family friend and neighbour, who responded to her enquiry, encouraged her writing, and sent her an introduction to his own literary agent, Hughes Massie, who also rejected Snow Upon
9828-484: The reign of Elizabeth , French refugees brought strict Calvinism to the island, which remained the common religion until 1617. In the late 16th century, islanders travelled across the North Atlantic to participate in the Newfoundland fisheries . In recognition for help given to him during his exile in Jersey in the 1640s, King Charles II of England gave Vice Admiral Sir George Carteret , bailiff and governor,
9945-583: The remove the connétables , they will continue their historic role as states members. There are also five non-voting members appointed by the Crown: the bailiff , the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey , the Dean of Jersey , the attorney general and solicitor general. The Bailiff is President (presiding officer) of the States Assembly, head of the judiciary and as civic head of the island carries out various ceremonial roles. The Council of Ministers , consisting of
10062-753: The short stories commissioned by Bruce Ingram , editor of The Sketch magazine, from 1923. She now had no difficulty selling her work. In 1922, the Christies joined an around-the-world promotional tour for the British Empire Exhibition , led by Major Ernest Belcher . Leaving their daughter with Agatha's mother and sister, in 10 months they travelled to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Canada. They learned to surf prone in South Africa; then, in Waikiki , they were among
10179-454: The submission for several months, John Lane at The Bodley Head offered to accept it, provided that Christie change how the solution was revealed. She did so, and signed a contract committing her next five books to The Bodley Head, which she later felt was exploitative. It was published in 1920. Christie settled into married life, giving birth to her only child, Rosalind Margaret Clarissa (later Hicks), in August 1919 at Ashfield. Archie left
10296-515: The surreal verse of Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll . As an adolescent, she enjoyed works by Anthony Hope , Walter Scott , Charles Dickens , and Alexandre Dumas . In April 1901, aged 10, she wrote her first poem, "The Cow Slip". By 1901, her father's health had deteriorated, because of what he believed were heart problems. Fred died in November 1901 from pneumonia and chronic kidney disease . Christie later said that her father's death when she
10413-604: The term z domu (literally meaning "of the house", de domo in Latin ) may be used, with rare exceptions, meaning the same as née . Jersey in Europe (dark grey) Jersey ( / ˈ dʒ ɜːr z i / JUR -zee ; Jèrriais : Jèrri [ʒɛri] ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey , is an island country in Northwestern Europe and a self-governing British Crown Dependency near
10530-467: The time of her death in 1976, "she was the best-selling novelist in history." One estimate of her total earnings from more than a half-century of writing is $ 20 million (approximately $ 107.1 million in 2023). As a result of her tax planning, her will left only £106,683 (approximately equivalent to £970,000 in 2023) net, which went mostly to her husband and daughter along with some smaller bequests. Her remaining 36% share of Agatha Christie Limited
10647-497: The title The Thirteen Problems . Marple was a genteel, elderly spinster who solved crimes using analogies to English village life. Christie said, "Miss Marple was not in any way a picture of my grandmother; she was far more fussy and spinsterish than my grandmother ever was", but her autobiography establishes a firm connection between the fictional character and Christie's step-grandmother Margaret Miller ("Auntie-Grannie") and her "Ealing cronies". Both Marple and Miller "always expected
10764-420: The worst of everyone and everything, and were, with almost frightening accuracy, usually proved right". Marple appeared in 12 novels and 20 stories. Birth name#Maiden and married names A birth name is the name given to a person upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname , the given name , or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto
10881-455: Was Postern of Fate in 1973. Textual analysis suggested that Christie may have begun to develop Alzheimer's disease or other dementia at about this time. In 1946, Christie said of herself: "My chief dislikes are crowds, loud noises, gramophones and cinemas. I dislike the taste of alcohol and do not like smoking. I do like sun, sea, flowers, travelling, strange foods, sports, concerts, theatres, pianos, and doing embroidery." Christie
10998-518: Was Archibald Christie ; they married in 1914 and had one child before divorcing in 1928. Following the breakdown of her marriage and the death of her mother in 1926, she made international headlines by going missing for eleven days. During both World Wars, she served in hospital dispensaries, acquiring a thorough knowledge of the poisons that featured in many of her novels, short stories, and plays. Following her marriage to archaeologist Max Mallowan in 1930, she spent several months each year on digs in
11115-471: Was free movement of goods between Jersey and the EU, but the single market in financial services and free movement of people did not apply to Jersey. Jersey also has close relations with Portugal, including the exchangement of tax information; these relations are specifically strong with the Autonomous Region of Madeira , where St. Helier has one of its sister cities, ( Funchal ). Jersey
11232-472: Was 11 marked the end of her childhood. The family's financial situation had, by this time, worsened. Madge married the year after their father's death and moved to Cheadle , Cheshire; Monty was overseas, serving in a British regiment. Christie now lived alone at Ashfield with her mother. In 1902, she began attending Miss Guyer's Girls' School in Torquay but found it difficult to adjust to the disciplined atmosphere. In 1905, her mother sent her to Paris, where she
11349-579: Was a lifelong, "quietly devout" member of the Church of England , attended church regularly, and kept her mother's copy of The Imitation of Christ by her bedside. After her divorce, she stopped taking the sacrament of communion . The Agatha Christie Trust For Children was established in 1969, and shortly after Christie's death a charitable memorial fund was set up to "help two causes that she favoured: old people and young children". Christie's obituary in The Times notes that "she never cared much for
11466-547: Was almost 80, she sold a 51% stake in Agatha Christie Limited (and the works it owned) to Booker Books (better known as Booker Author's Division ), which by 1977 had increased its stake to 64%. Agatha Christie Limited still owns the worldwide rights for more than 80 of Christie's novels and short stories, 19 plays, and nearly 40 TV films. In the late 1950s, Christie had reputedly been earning around £100,000 (approximately equivalent to £3,000,000 in 2023) per year. Christie sold an estimated 300 million books during her lifetime. At
11583-548: Was also applied to the colony of New Jersey as Nova Caesarea . Andium , Agna and Augia were used in antiquity. Scholars variously surmise that Jersey and Jèrri derive from jǫrð ( Old Norse for 'earth') or jarl ('earl'), or perhaps the Norse personal name Geirr (thus Geirrsey , 'Geirr's Island'). The ending -ey denotes an island (as in Guernsey or Surtsey ). Humans have lived on
11700-508: Was an essential part of her charm. Christie died peacefully on 12 January 1976 at age 85 from natural causes at her home at Winterbrook House. Upon her death, two West End theatres – the St. Martin's , where The Mousetrap was playing, and the Savoy , which was home to a revival of Murder at the Vicarage – dimmed their outside lights in her honour. She
11817-927: Was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1956 New Year Honours . She was co-president of the Detection Club from 1958 to her death in 1976. In 1961, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Literature degree by the University of Exeter . In the 1971 New Year Honours , she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), three years after her husband had been knighted for his archaeological work. After her husband's knighthood, Christie could also be styled Lady Mallowan. From 1971 to 1974, Christie's health began to fail, but she continued to write. Her last novel
11934-616: Was born in New York City and travelled extensively after leaving his Swiss boarding school. He and Clara were married in London in 1878. Their first child, Margaret "Madge" Frary, was born in Torquay in 1879. The second, Louis Montant "Monty", was born in Morristown , New Jersey , in 1880, while the family was on an extended visit to the United States. When Fred's father died in 1869, he left Clara £2,000 (approximately equivalent to £230,000 in 2023); in 1881 they used this to buy
12051-634: Was born on 15 September 1890, into a wealthy upper middle class family in Torquay , Devon. She was the youngest of three children born to Frederick Alvah Miller, "a gentleman of substance", and his wife Clarissa "Clara" Margaret ( née Boehmer). Christie's mother Clara was born in Dublin in 1854 to British Army officer Frederick Boehmer and his wife Mary Ann (née West). Boehmer died in Jersey in 1863, leaving his widow to raise Clara and her brothers on
12168-433: Was buried in the nearby churchyard of St Mary's, Cholsey, in a plot she had chosen with her husband 10 years previously. The simple funeral service was attended by about 20 newspaper and TV reporters, some having travelled from as far away as South America. Thirty wreaths adorned Christie's grave, including one from the cast of her long-running play The Mousetrap and one sent "on behalf of the multitude of grateful readers" by
12285-518: Was concerned that Christie had a spy in Britain's top-secret codebreaking centre, Bletchley Park . The agency's fears were allayed when Christie told her friend, the codebreaker Dilly Knox , "I was stuck there on my way by train from Oxford to London and took revenge by giving the name to one of my least lovable characters." Christie was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1950. In honour of her many literary works, Christie
12402-421: Was educated in a series of pensionnats (boarding schools), focusing on voice training and piano playing. Deciding she lacked the temperament and talent, she gave up her goal of performing professionally as a concert pianist or an opera singer. After completing her education, Christie returned to England to find her mother ailing. They decided to spend the winter of 1907–1908 in the warm climate of Egypt, which
12519-636: Was given to the National Trust in 2000. Christie frequently stayed at Abney Hall , Cheshire , which was owned by her brother-in-law, James Watts, and based at least two stories there: a short story, " The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding ", in the story collection of the same name and the novel After the Funeral . One Christie compendium notes that "Abney became Agatha's greatest inspiration for country-house life, with all its servants and grandeur being woven into her plots. The descriptions of
12636-553: Was granted a decree nisi against her husband in April 1928, which was made absolute in October 1928. Archie married Nancy Neele a week later. Christie retained custody of their daughter, Rosalind, and kept the Christie surname for her writing. Reflecting on the period in her autobiography, Christie wrote, "So, after illness, came sorrow, despair and heartbreak. There is no need to dwell on it." In 1928, Christie left England and took
12753-505: Was inherited by Hicks, who passionately preserved her mother's works, image, and legacy until her own death 28 years later. The family's share of the company allowed them to appoint 50% of the board and the chairman, and retain a veto over new treatments, updated versions, and republications of her works. In 2004, Hicks' obituary in The Telegraph noted that she had been "determined to remain true to her mother's vision and to protect
12870-582: Was lost by the kings of England in the 13th century, and the ducal title surrendered to France, Jersey remained loyal to the English Crown , though it never became part of the Kingdom of England . At the end of the Napoleonic Wars , Jersey was at the frontline of Anglo-French Wars and was invaded a number of times, leading to the construction of fortifications such as Mont Orgueil Castle and
12987-740: Was not found for another 10 days. On 4 December, the day after she went missing, it is now known she had tea in London and visited Harrods department store where she marvelled at the spectacle of the store's Christmas display . On 14 December 1926, she was located at the Swan Hydropathic Hotel in Harrogate , Yorkshire, 184 miles (296 km) north of her home in Sunningdale, registered as "Mrs Tressa Neele" (the surname of her husband's lover) from "Capetown [ sic ] S.A." (South Africa). The next day, Christie left for her sister's residence at Abney Hall , Cheadle, where she
13104-908: Was raised. Christie drew on her experience of international train travel when writing her 1934 novel Murder on the Orient Express . The Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, the eastern terminus of the railway, claims the book was written there and maintains Christie's room as a memorial to the author. Christie and Mallowan first lived in Cresswell Place in Chelsea , and later in Sheffield Terrace, Holland Park , Kensington . Both properties are now marked by blue plaques . In 1934, they bought Winterbrook House in Winterbrook ,
13221-440: Was released in 1920 and introduced the detective Hercule Poirot , who appeared in 33 of her novels and more than 50 short stories. Over the years, Christie grew tired of Poirot, much as Doyle did with Sherlock Holmes. By the end of the 1930s, Christie wrote in her diary that she was finding Poirot "insufferable", and by the 1960s she felt he was "an egocentric creep". Thompson believes Christie's occasional antipathy to her creation
13338-443: Was sequestered "in guarded hall, gates locked, telephone cut off, and callers turned away". Christie's autobiography makes no reference to the disappearance. Two doctors diagnosed her with "an unquestionable genuine loss of memory", yet opinion remains divided over the reason for her disappearance. Some, including her biographer Morgan, believe she disappeared during a fugue state . The author Jared Cade concluded that Christie planned
13455-411: Was the warmest (and sunniest) year on record; the mean daily air temperature was 13.56 °C. For tourism advertising, Jersey often claims to be "the sunniest place in the British Isles", as Jersey has over 1,900 hours of sunlight. Jersey is indeed one of the sunniest places in the British Isles, especially during the warmer months, as it is subject to more influence from the Azores High , which acts as
13572-751: Was then a regular tourist destination for wealthy Britons. They stayed for three months at the Gezirah Palace Hotel in Cairo . Christie attended many dances and other social functions; she particularly enjoyed watching amateur polo matches. While they visited some ancient Egyptian monuments such as the Great Pyramid of Giza , she did not exhibit the great interest in archaeology and Egyptology that developed in her later years. Returning to Britain, she continued her social activities, writing and performing in amateur theatrics. She also helped put on
13689-542: Was voted the best crime writer and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd the best crime novel ever by 600 professional novelists of the Crime Writers' Association . In 2015, And Then There Were None was named the "World's Favourite Christie" in a vote sponsored by the author's estate. Many of Christie's books and short stories have been adapted for television, radio, video games, and graphic novels. More than 30 feature films are based on her work. Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller
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