Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch 1863 - 1944

The friendship between the du Maurier family and J.M. Barrie is well known and documented. What is perhaps less well known is the friendship between J.M. Barrie and the Quiller-Couch family and Barrie’s visits to Fowey. Knowing this makes it unsurprising that, when Muriel and Gerald du Maurier bought the property in Bodinnick-by-Fowey which became known as Ferryside, a friendship also grew between the du Maurier and the Quiller-Couch families.

(Photograph on the right reproduced by kind permission of the Master and Fellows of Jesus College, Cambridge).

This friendship was particularly important to Daphne who often enjoyed Sunday evening supper with them at, The Haven, their home on the Esplanade in Fowey. Q encouraged Daphne’s writing and his daughter Foy became a life-long friend. Foy introduced Daphne to other members of her group of friends including Clara Vyvyan who also became a life-long friend to Daphne. Their friendship also contributed to the writing of Jamaica Inn which was inspired by two riding trips that Foy and Daphne took on Bodmin Moor. Many years later this abiding friendship was also the reason for Foy asking Daphne to complete Castle Dor a novel which Q had started many years earlier.

Recently the Daphne du Maurier website was approached by The Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch Memorial Fund (the Q Fund) asking if we would consider giving an internet presence to Q. Because of the close links between Daphne du Maurier and Q we happily agreed to this and so it is with real pleasure that the du Maurier Browning family and the Daphne du Maurier website welcome this new section to the website dedicated to Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch.

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, the great writer and important literary man of Fowey, was often referred to as Q. In his memory, The Sir Arthur Quiller Couch Memorial Fund was set up as a charitable trust in 1945. (Charity No. 306599). Grants of between £50 to £500 are awarded for local research work in literary or allied subjects. For more details, visit www.cornwall.gov.uk/qfund

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