About Jeffrey Archer
Jeffrey Archer was born in London on April 15, 1940, and grew up in the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. He came to Oxford in 1963 as a student at Brasenose College, where he won a Blue in athletics.
At Oxford he threw himself into raising money for Oxfam, and on March 5, 1964, he arranged for the Beatles to visit Brasenose to mark their support for the charity's appeal. In 1966 he married Mary Weeden, his wife of sixty years.
He was elected to Parliament for Louth in 1969. When an investment in a company called Aquablast failed and left him close to bankruptcy, he stood down in 1974 and began to write. His first novel, "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less," came out in 1976, and "Kane and Abel" followed in 1979.
Margaret Thatcher made him deputy chairman of the Conservative Party in 1985, and in 1992 he became a life peer as Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare. In 2001 he was convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice and sentenced to four years; he was released in 2003 and wrote about prison in "The Prison Diaries."
His books sold more than 300 million copies, and he was the only author to reach number one on the bestseller lists in fiction, short stories and non-fiction. As a charity auctioneer he helped raise tens of millions of pounds.
He died suddenly and peacefully at home on October 5, 2026, aged 86, between writing sessions, the day before his final novel, "Adam and Eve," was published. He is survived by Mary, their sons William and James, and five grandchildren. His family asked to share "how much he was loved and how proud they are of him."
A Life in Time
- 1940: Born on April 15 in London; grows up in Weston-super-Mare
- 1963: Comes to Oxford as a student at Brasenose College
- 1964: Arranges the Beatles' visit to Brasenose for Oxfam's fundraising appeal
- 1966: Marries Mary Weeden
- 1969: Elected Member of Parliament for Louth
- 1974: Leaves Parliament after a failed investment leaves him deep in debt
- 1976: Publishes his first novel, "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less"
- 1979: Publishes "Kane and Abel"
- 1985: Becomes deputy chairman of the Conservative Party
- 1992: Made a life peer as Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare
- 2001: Convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice
- 2003: Released from prison
- 2026: Dies on October 5, the day before his final novel, "Adam and Eve," is published
Connected lives
- Louth, Lincolnshire · His constituency
- John Major · Recommended his peerage
- Margaret Thatcher · Made him deputy party chairman
- Mary Archer · His wife of sixty years
- Brasenose College, Oxford · His Oxford college
- Weston-super-Mare, England · Where he grew up · his title
- George Harrison · Arranged the Beatles' Brasenose visit