The Real Durrells

If you’re fascinated by Corfu, you might have heard about the Durrells already. The family became famous internationally in 2016, when a television show gained notoriety almost overnight.

While there is not too much happening over four seasons, the series will put you in a perfect mood for the Corfiot culture, whether you are planning a vacation or you simply love the laid back local lifestyle.

Just like you might have already guessed, the show is based on real people. The show was based on a trilogy written by the younger family member, Gerald Durrell. The first book was adapted into a different series in 1987, as well as a film in 2005. However, none of them was as famous as the recent series.

Gerald Durrell

Gerald is the main reason wherefore we can read and learn about this family today. He wrote the famous trilogy based on four years spent in Corfu along with his mother and siblings. However, he is also popular as a naturalist.

Gerald was born in India, in 1925. He lived in India, England and Greece. He was fascinated by the local wildlife, which he explored along with his good friend Theodore. He ended up working for various zoos, but he was frustrated with how animals were treated. In the end, he started his own zoo.

His Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust aims to protect wildlife all over the world. Throughout his life, Gerald was a public figure and appeared on various documentaries as well. Apart from the trilogy, he wrote other books as well.

He passed away in 1995.

Lawrence Durrell

Lawrence was also a writer. Over his career, he wrote 18 novels, as well as plays, travel books, essays, poetry and screenplays, among others. He became famous for the Alexandria Quartet and the four novels in it.

Over his life, he was also considered for a Nobel prize. He was the main reason wherefore the Durrell family ended up in Corfu. Many of his friends moved to Corfu along with their families, so he convinced his mother to follow them.

His wife Nancy is not featured in the trilogy, so it makes the character look like he is single and still living with the rest of the family. Lawrence had a bit of darkness in his life too, as he was obsessed with sadism and sex. He married four times and was accused of having a relationship with one of his daughters.

There was no evidence whatsoever. His daughter committed suicide eventually. Lawrence passed away in 1990.

Margaret Durrell

Margaret is not described to much in Gerald’s books, often seen as a shallow character. The real Margaret always thought Gerald saw her as an idiotic girl with an interest in boys. However, she fell in love with Corfu and remained there even after her family left.

She got married and moved with her husband to South Africa. Eventually, they ended up in England and had two children. She established a boarding house in England, mainly to help her brother Gerald and host some of the animals.

Margaret was born in India. She passed away in England, in 2007. Like her brothers, she also wrote a humorous memoir.

Leslie Durrell

Leslie was given quite a big role in the recent series based on the Durrell family, but he was the only family member who did not bother to write about his life experience. He chose to keep out of the public eye and did a pretty good job at it.

Believe it or not, even finding real pictures of him is a very difficult task. He came back to England during World War II and worked at a RAF factory. His personal life was quite laid back compared to Larry’s. The Durrells brought a maid from Corfu with them, who Leslie married later on.

He and Maria Kondos had a son. After a while, the family moved to Kenya in order to run a farm there, but their adventure failed. They came back to England, with Leslie working in a hotel in London. He passed away in 1982.

Louisa Durrell

Like her husband and children, Louisa was born in India while run by the British. She travelled to England with her kids in order to live on a widow’s pension. However, life was difficult, so they eventually moved to Corfu, where Lawrence was already living.

She developed a passion for cookery and spiritualism. She spent her last years in Bournemouth, England. Louisa passed away in 1964.

Spyros Halikiopoulos

Spyros is a central character in the television series. He was described in more ways by Gerald and Lawrence in their books, often referred to as a great brown ugly angel, great suntanned gargoyle or great drop of olive oil.

Spyros was nicknamed Amerikanos, as he worked in the USA for eight years. He helped the Durrell family accommodate to life in Greece by finding accommodation and supporting with all kinds of daily challenges.

He brought his Dodge from the USA, becoming the first person in Corfu to have a car.

Theodore Stephanides

Theodore was also born in India, but became a Corfu resident in 1907. He even joined the Greek army during World War I before studying medicine. He offered his medical services without charging anything. At the same time, he helped preserve the countryside by educating people and planting trees.

He was a close friend of Gerald, who he taught everything he knew. He was also a poet. According to Gerald, Theodore was an encyclopedia for him. His work paid off, as he has a lunar crater and an aquatic crustacean named after him.