Travel writer and journalist, born in London, UK, the brother of Ian Fleming. He studied at Oxford, and became assistant literary editor of the Spectator. In 1932 he joined an expedition to Central Brazil following Colonel Percy Fawcett who had disappeared without trace in 1925. It provided the colourful copy which surfaced in Brazilian Adventure (1933), a landmark in travel literature and an immediate best seller. In a similar vein are One's Company (1934) and News From Tartary (1936).
Peter Fleming, OBE (May 31, 1907 – August 9, 1971) was a British adventurer and travel writer.
Biography
Peter Fleming's fame has now been almost completely eclipsed by that of his younger brother, Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond books.
The Fleming brothers were two of the four sons of the barrister and MP Valentine Fleming who was killed in action in 1917, having served as MP for Henley from 1910.
Peter Fleming was educated at Eton College and then at Christ Church, Oxford. While at Eton, he was the editor of the Eton College Chronicle, and the Peter Fleming Owl (the English meaning of "Strix", the name under which he later wrote for The Spectator) is still awarded every year to the best contributor to the Chronicle.
In 1935, he married the actress Celia Johnson (1908–1982), best known for her role in the film Brief Encounter.
During World War II, he served with the Grenadier Guards;
After the war, Peter Fleming retired to squiredom at Nettlebed, Oxfordshire.
Travels
Brazil
In April 1932 Fleming replied to an advertisement in the personal columns of “The Times”: “Exploring and sporting expedition, under experienced guidance, leaving England June to explore rivers central Brazil, if possible ascertain fate Colonel Fawcett; highest references expected and given.”
The expedition, organised by Richard Churchyard, travelled to Sao Paolo, then overland to the rivers Aragauaia and Tapirapé, heading towards the likely last-known position of the Fawcett expedition. Finally, Fleming and Roger Pettiward (a school and university friend recruited onto the expedition as a result of a chance street encounter with Fleming) led a breakaway from Holman.
The remaining expedition members continued for several days up the Tapirapé to Sao Domingo, from where Fleming and Neville Priestley set out to look for Fawcett on their own.
Fleming’s book about this expedition, “Brazilian adventure”, sold well.
(two journeys to add: to add - one's company; travels in tartary)
Family
Peter and Celia Fleming remained married until his death in 1971, while on a shooting expedition in Argyll, Scotland. He was survived by their three children:
Nicholas "Nichol" Fleming (1939–1996) deposited Peter Fleming's papers for public access at the University of Reading in 1975. Kate Fleming (b. Kate has since the late 1990s been the co-owner of the Ian Fleming estate, with her sister Lucy. Lucy Fleming (b.After the death of his brother, Ian Fleming, Peter Fleming served on the board of Glidrose, Ltd., the company purchased by Ian to hold the literary rights to his professional writing, particularly the James Bond novels and short stories. As part of the board, Peter Fleming helped guide the future of the literary James Bond in the mid-to-late 1960s.
Other connections
Peter Fleming was the godfather of the British author and journalist Duff Hart-Davis, who wrote up Fleming's life as Peter Fleming: A Biography, published in 1974.
Legacy
The Royal Geographic Society gives out an award of £9,000 called the "The Peter Fleming Award", for a "research project that seeks to advance geographical science".
Quotes
"São Paulo is like Reading, only much farther away" – Brazilian Adventure Public opinion in England is sharply divided on the subject of Russia. Both are hoplessly wrong. – One's CompanyBibliography
Fleming was a special correspondent for The Times and (as "Strix") an essayist for The Spectator; 1934 One's Company: A Journey to China in 1933 — Travels through Manchuria. 1936 News from Tartary: A Journey from Peking to Kashmir — Journey from Peking to Srinagar via Sinkiang. 1952 The Sixth Column: A Singular Tale of Our Times 1952 A Forgotten Journey — A diary Fleming kept during a journey through Russia and Manchuria in 1934. 1956 My Aunt's Rhinoceros: And Other Reflections — A collection of essays written (as "Strix") for The Spectator. 1957 With the Guards to Mexico: And Other Excursions — A collection of essays written for The Spectator. 1958 The Gower Street Poltergeist — A collection of essays written for The Spectator. 1961 Bayonets to Lhasa: The First Full Account of the British Invasion of Tibet in 1904 1961 Goodbye to the Bombay Bowler — A collection of essays written for The Spectator. 1963 The Fate of Admiral Kolchak — a study of the White Army leader Admiral Kolchak who attempted to save the Imperial Russian family at Ekaterinburg in 1918.
User Comments Add a comment…