Web: www.minack.info
The author who moved his life to Cornwall
Derek Tangye born in London on the 29th February 1912, was educated at Harrow and subsequently worked as a journalist on national newspapers. During the war he was a member of MI5, before he and his wife Jeannie gave up life in London and moved to the tranquillity of Minack Cottage near Lamorna.
When Jeannie and Derek Tangye withdrew to a cliff-top flower farm in Cornwall during 1950, sophisticated London society protested, but an even wider circle was enriched by the enchanted life which they shared and which Derek recorded in the Minack Chronicles.
Derek was not originally fond of cats and was introduced to Monty, a ginger tom kitten, when he was given to Jeannie at the Savoy. He told their housekeeper it should live in the kitchen. That didn't last for long as Monty eventually ended up sleeping on their bed. Monty moved with Derek and Jeannie to Minack where he leapt across the small stream that crosses the path to the cottage. Derek dedicated one of his books (A Cat in the Window) to Monty. Later he wrote a book entitled Monty's Leap.
The fascinating tales of life at Minack, his flower-farm on the rugged Cornish coast, along with all the animals, are known and loved all over the world.
Jeannie died in 1986 and Derek lived on at Minack alone until he died in 1996 aged 84.
| Time was mine......1941 Went the day well......1942 One King......1963 |
| A Gull on the Roof......1961 A Cat in the Window......1962 A Drake at the Door......1963 A Donkey in the Meadow......1965 Lama......1966 The Way to Minack......1968 A Cornish Summer......1970 Cottage on a Cliff......1972 A Cat Affair......1974 Sun on the Lintel......1976 |
The Winding Lane......1978 When the Winds Blow......1980 The Ambrose Rock......1982 A Quiet Year......1984 The Cherry Tree......1986 Jeannie......1988 The Evening Gull......1990 The World of Minack......1993 Monty's Leap......1993 The Confusion Room......1996 |
| Meet me at the Savoy......1952 Hotel Regina......1962 Home is the hotel......1963 Bertoni's hotel......1983 |
| THE DEREK AND JEANNIE TANGYE MINACK CHRONICLES NATURE RESERVE A PLACE FOR SOLITUDE |
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