1. George Henry Borrow was an English writer of novels and of travel based on personal experiences in Europe.
21 Facts About George Borrow
1. 2.
George Borrow's travels gave him a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe, who figure strongly in his work.
3.
George Borrow studied law, but languages and literature became his main interests.
4.
George Borrow was introduced to the Irish language by a fellow student named Murtagh, who tutored him in return for a pack of playing cards.
5.
George Borrow was introduced to horsemanship and learned to ride without a saddle.
6.
The regiment moved to Templemore early in 1816, and George Borrow began ranging around the country on foot and later on horseback.
7.
George Borrow's precocious linguistic skills as a youth made him a protege of the Norwich-born scholar William Taylor, whom he depicted in his autobiographical novel Lavengro as an advocate of German Romantic literature.
8.
George Borrow left Norwich for St Petersburg on 13 August 1833.
9.
George Borrow was charged by the Bible Society with supervising a translation of the Bible into Manchu.
10.
George Borrow left two copies of his translations of Pushkin's literary works and later Pushkin expressed regret at not meeting him.
11.
George Borrow had a lifelong empathy with nomadic people such as the Romany people, especially Romany music, dance and customs.
12.
George Borrow became so familiar with the Romany language as to publish a dictionary of it.
13.
George Borrow's impressions formed part of the opening chapter of his The Zincali: or an account of the Gypsies of Spain.
14.
George Borrow said that he stayed in Spain for nearly five years.
15.
George Borrow translated the Gospel of Luke into the Romani and Basque languages.
16.
George Borrow made one more overseas journey, across Europe to Istanbul in 1844, but the rest of his travels were in the UK: long walking tours in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Cornwall and the Isle of Man.
17.
George Borrow visited the Romanichal encampments in Wandsworth and Battersea, and wrote one more book, Romano Lavo-Lil, a wordbook of the Anglo-Romany dialect.
18.
Mary George Borrow died in 1869, and in 1874 he returned to Lowestoft, where he was later joined by his stepdaughter Henrietta and her husband, who looked after him until his death there on 26 July 1881.
19.
George Borrow is buried with his wife in Brompton Cemetery, London.
20.
George Borrow was said to be a man of striking appearance and deeply original character.
21.
The skipper of the George Borrow was Thomas Crisp, who, in 1917, would go on to be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.