Ian Lancaster Fleming (1908 - 1964)

Born 28 May 1908 in Mayfair, London, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Ann Geraldine Mary (Charteris) Fleming — married 24 Mar 1952 in Jamaica

Died 12 Aug 1964 at age 56 in Canterbury, Kent, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Ian Fleming is Notable.

Ian Lancaster Fleming, son of Valentine Fleming and Evelyn Rose, was an English author, journalist and naval intelligence officer, best known for his James Bond series of spy novels.

Birth and College

Ian Fleming: marking centenary of his birth

Ian was born in London, England on 28 May 1908 at his parent's home on 27 Green Street in the Mayfair district. ^[1] He was christened on 9 July 1908 at St. Katherine by the Tower in Middlesex, England. ^[2] His parents, Valentine and Evelyn, were wealthy and powerful members of society. Valentine was a member of Parliament until his death (20 May 1917) in World War I, just before Ian's 9th birthday. Ian had 4 siblings: one older brother (Peter) two younger (Richard and Michael), and a younger half-sister (Amaryllis).

On the 1911 census, Ian appeared with his parents and brothers Peter and George (is this Richard?) in Cheekendon, Berkshire, England, together with twelve servants, including a butler and footman, plus several maids, a cook, a nurse, and a boot boy. ^[3]

Between 1921 and 1931, he went from Eton College to the Royal Military College, then to a private school in Austria, to Munich University and finally to the University of Geneva. He became engaged to Monique Panchaud de Bottomes in 1931, but his mother disapproved and forced him to break it off.

Career and the War

By October 1931, he began work as a sub-editor for the Foreign Office, but by 1933, his family had had enough and convinced him to switch to banking. He worked for Cull & Co. as a banker, then in 1935 he joined Rowe and Pitman as a stockbroker, but was not successful in either venture. He is listed as a passenger on HMS Europa, going to New York, then doubtless on to Jamaica. ^[4]

By 1939, he was recruited by Naval Intelligence, and commissioned in the Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant. About this same time, his romance with Ann (Charteris) O'Neill also began. Ann was a married woman, and so this affair would create issues.

Initially, there were those within Naval Intelligence that felt Ian had no qualifications for his position. However, as WWII began, his insight into enemy tactics and his suggestions on how to respond proved invaluable. While not all his suggestions proved useful, he had found his calling in his imaginative approach to problems. From 1939 through 1945, Ian participated in a number of war efforts with Naval Intelligence. ^{[5] [6] [7] [8] [9]} He became personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence; his codename was '17F'. By May 1945 Ian was demobilized, but remained a lieutenant-commander in the RNVR (Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve) until 1952.

Post-War Years and Bond

Ian went on to find work as the Foreign Manager in the Kemsley newspaper group, who owned The Sunday Times. Ian worked full time at the paper through 1959 and then continued part time through 1961. His contract meant that he could take three months off a year, which he did each winter, holidaying in Jamaica. ^{[10] [11] [12] [13]}

During his newspaper years, he began work on his first novel, Casino Royale. He claimed that he started the book to distract himself; Ann Charteris had given birth to a stillborn daughter (Mary) in 1948, and by 1952 was pregnant with their second child, Caspar. They were married on 24 March 1952 in Jamaica and Caspar was born in August 1952. On 13 April 1953, Casino Royale was released in the UK in hardcover and was an immediate success. Fleming's fictional hero, James Bond, also served in the RNVR as a commander.

"Goldeneye", Jamaica, where the Bond books were written

Ian turned out a total of twelve Bond novels and two short-story collections, which were published between 1953 and 1966 (a few of these posthumously).

Bibliography

short stories are in italics

• Casino Royale (1953) (US title: You Asked For It)
• Live and Let Die (1954)
• Moonraker (1955) (US title: Too Hot to Handle)
• Diamonds Are Forever (1956)
• From Russia, with Love (1957)
• The Diamond Smugglers (1957)
• Dr. No (1958)
• Goldfinger (1959)
• '"Quantum of Solace" (May 1959)
• "From a View to a Kill" (September 1959)
• "Risico" ( 11–15 April 1960)
• "The Hildebrand Rarity" (March 1960)
• For Your Eyes Only (1960)
• Thunderball (1961)
• The Spy Who Loved Me (1962)
• "The Living Daylights" (February 1962)
• On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963)
• "007 in New York" (October 1963)
• "The Property of a Lady" (November 1963)
• Thrilling Cities (1963)
• You Only Live Twice (1964)
• Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang (1964)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1965)
• "Octopussy" (Posthumously serialised in Daily Express 4–8 October 1965)
• Octopussy and The Living Daylights (1966)

During his lifetime, Ian sold thirty million books; that number doubled in the two years after his death.

Bond has been played by numerous actors over the years on the silver screen. They include:

Barry Nelson (1 film)

David Niven (1 film)

Sean Connery (6 films)

George Lazenby (1 film)

Roger Moore (7 films)

Timothy Dalton (2 films)

Pierce Brosnan (4 films)

Daniel Craig (4 films)

Death

Fleming Memorial at Sevenhampton, Gloucestershire, England

Ian was a heavy smoker and drinker, and these eventually led to his heart disease. He suffered a severe heart attack in 1961, and never fully recuperated. On 11 August 1964, he had another massive heart attack, and passed away soon after on 12 August 1964. ^[14]

He was buried in the St Andrew Churchyard in Sevenhampton, Tewkesbury Borough, Gloucestershire, England. ^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2FVW-KMY : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian Lancaster Fleming, 1908; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, St. George Hanover Square, London, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
2. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N1V9-XRH : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian Lancaster Fleming, 09 Jul 1908; citing St. Katherine by the Tower, Middlesex, England, reference yr 1813-1946 p 96; FHL microfilm 374,461.
3. ↑ Census. 1911. England and Wales. Cheekendon, Oxfordshire. RG14. PN: 8062. RG78. PN: 407. RD. 150. SD. 2. ED. 10. SN. 55. familysearch : accessed 9 May 2018. Residence: Wyfold Court
4. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24KY-RYG : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian Lancaster Fleming, 1937; citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2H9Q-RJG : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian L Fleming, 1943; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2H9Q-RKH : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian Lancaster Fleming, 1943; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2H97-RQH : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian L Fleming, 1943; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
8. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2H97-TSL : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian L Fleming, 1943; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
9. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2HQF-78F : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian Lancaster Fleming, 1945; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
10. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24GT-HQ9 : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian L Fleming, 1946; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
11. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24GT-H7C : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian Lancaster Fleming, 1946; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
12. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24PQ-C9L : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian L Fleming, 1946; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
13. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPZ-D41P : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian L Fleming, 1948; citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
14. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVCJ-XFCH : accessed 19 October 2015), Ian L Fleming, 1964; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Canterbury, Kent, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
15. ↑ Ian Fleming grave: Find A Grave: Memorial #6997

See Also:

• Wikipedia:Ian_Fleming
• Wikipedia:James_Bond
• This WikiTree profile is referenced from Wikidata: Item Q82104