Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Tributes paid to author and journalist Jan Morris who has died age 94

20 Nov 2020 2 minute read
Jan Morris

Tributes have been paid this evening to author and journalist Jan Morris who has died at 94.

Her son Twm has said in a statement: “This morning at 11.40 at Ysbyty Bryn Beryl, on the Llyn, the author and traveller Jan Morris began her greatest journey. She leaves behind on the shore her life-long partner, Elizabeth.”

The First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “I was very sad to hear of the passing of Jan Morris. She was such an incredibly talented author and what an amazing life she had. She was a real treasure to Wales. My thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.”

Author Mike Parker said: “I’m beyond sadness. She has been such an inspiration and kind friend to me for nearly thirty years. It was her that told me to come to Wales. Oh Jan, diolch o waelod galon am bopeth. Dw i’n dy garu di.”

Author and linguist Patrick McGuiness said: “The great Jan Morris: not just a brilliant writer or superb stylist, but a discoverer of experience and an explorer of limits to the very end.”

The National Eisteddfod commented: “So sad to hear about the death of Jan Morris today. We send our deepest condolences to her friends and family. She will be remembered for her wonderful travel journalism and as a writer and historian.”

 

Process

As a bestselling author of more than 30 books, Jan Morris was perhaps best known for her travel writing. As a journalist, she was famous for being the first to report on the ascent of Everest for The Times in 1953. She also corresponded on the Suez Crisis in 1956.

Born James Morris in Somerset in 1926, he married his wife Elizabeth Tuckniss in 1949 and they have three sons and one daughter – Twm Morys, Henry Morris, Mark Morris and Suki Morys.

In 1972 James travelled to Casablanca in Morocco for a gender reassignment operation. The process was detailed in her book Conundrum published in 1974.

In 2008, Jan and Elizabeth announced that they would remarry in a civil partnership as the law then allowed. They held a civil union ceremony in Pwllheli.

Her final book, Think Again, a collection of her diaries, was published in March.


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.