Fascinating Folkestone – as with all the Quiz Trails, we thoroughly enjoyed researching and learning so much more about this wonderful town.
- It’s where William Harvey was born
- it’s where King Edward VII and his mistress Mrs Kepple met up
- and it’s where writer HG Wells indulged his passion for writing and women! Plus tons more!
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The world famous science fiction writer HG Wells moved to Sandgate, just by Folkestone, in 1896 - leaving London as he feared his poor health was being affected by the pollution and stress of London. His most famous works are ‘The War of the Worlds’ and ‘The Invisible Man’. Herbert George Wells lived in Sandgate until 1909.
It seems as well as a passion for science fiction, he also had a passion for ... women! He was married twice but it was said that neither wife could cope with the strength of his desires! He had several long term relationships as well as flings alongside his two marriages and was fond of the concept of ‘free love’ - something which was still a few decades away!
Whilst married to his second wife Jane, he started one of his numerous affairs with a British feminist writer and scholar, Amber Reeves, who was 20 whilst he was 41. As with all his affairs, it got very close to becoming public but was just avoided, although a secret pregnancy resulted in the birth of a daughter, Anna-Jane. Amber Reeves married another man and Anna-Jane wasn’t told that HG Wells was her father until she was aged 18.
Winston Churchill avidly read Wells books. An October 1906 Churchill wrote to Wells "I owe you a great debt”. His use of the famous phrase "the gathering storm" - which Churchill used to describe the rise of the Nazi party in the late 1930’s - was lifted straight from Wells writing in ‘The War of the Worlds’.
Wells passed away in London at the age of 79 following a very eventful life!
