Kenneth Grahame is famous as the author of one of the most iconic children’s stories of all time, “The Wind in the Willows”. This classic book was written in 1908 but has enchanted children for decades (myself included).
Grahame was born in 1859. His mother died when he was just five and, as his father had a drinking problem, Grahame and his siblings lived with his maternal grandmother in Cookham, Berkshire. His time there and his introduction to boating by his Uncle were likely inspirations for his famous tale. He wanted to go to Oxford University but wasn’t able to due to the cost. Instead, he started working for the Bank of England and in 1899 married Elspeth Thomson.
Grahame had had stories published in periodicals since his twenties and also published “Dream Days”, a collection of stories in 1898. “The Wind in the Willows” came along a decade later. During that time, he and Elspeth had a son, Alastair. Despite being plagued with health issues, the little boy became the inspiration for the swaggering Mr Toad. Around the same time, Grahame himself retired from the Bank on the grounds of ill health.
As popular as the book became, Grahame’s own life was beset by tragedy. In 1920, Alastair took his own life, although his death was recorded as an accident. He is buried with his father at Holywell Cemetery, Oxford.
The cemetery is fairly hidden, set back behind a small church, and through a squeaky metal gate. The land is overgrown and cluttered, seemingly a world away from the hordes of tourists snaking around the iconic university buildings. But it’s actually very near the center, and simple to find if you’re in Oxford already.
The Wind in the Willows is one of my favourite books. I have fond memories of my Mother reading it to me as well as a tape recording by the inimitable Alan Bennett. Mole’s heartfelt description of missing his home and the subsequent time he and Ratty spend to make it welcoming over Christmas are seared into my memory. The heart-breaking tragedy of the author’s life makes this tale all the more layered.
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