Dorothy Leigh Sayers was born in Oxford on 13 June 1893, the daughter of the Rev. Henry Sayers, the director of the Christchurch Cathedral Choir School, and Helen Mary (Leigh) Sayers. She grew up in the small village of Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire, after her father was given the living there as clergyman.
From the early age Sayers was very gifted in languages, learning Latin by the age of seven and French from her governess.
She was educated at the Godolphin School, a boarding school at Salisbury but she had to leave it because of an illness.
In 1912 she won a scholarship to the Oxford women's college Somerville, studying modern languages and medieval literature. She finished with first-class honours in 1916. In 1920 Sayers earned her M.A., among one of the first group of women to be granted degrees from Oxford University.
Disliking the routine and seclusion of academic life she joined Blackwell's, the Oxford publishers, worked with her Oxford friend Eric Whelpton at L'École des Roches in Normandy, and from 1922 until 1931 served as copywriter at the London advertising firm of Bensons.
During these years Sayers went through a period she did not advertise much later. She had an illegitimate son, who was brought up by her cousin, Ivy Shrimpton. The father was Bill White, a motorcyclist and car salesman. Sayers rejected contraceptives, which caused a problem with her lover, the Russian born-novelist John Cournos, whom she met in 1921. Sayers wanted to marry him, but Cournos told her that he did not believe in marriage, afterwards she broke off with him.
Letters from this unhappy affair with him are now housed at Harvad University. Although her cousin Ivy Shrimpton took care of the child, Sayers followed closely his upbringing and supplied funds for this purpose. Sayers kept the child secret even from her parents who were in their seventies.
Sayers's friends learned of John Anthony's existence only after her death in 1957 as the only beneficiary under his mother's will. However, Sayers communicated regularly with her son by mail. Shortly before he died in 1984 John Anthony said that his mother "did the very best she could."
In 1926 Sayers married the journalist, Captain Oswald Atherton "Mac" Fleming, who was divorced and had two children. The marriage began happily with a strong partnership at home. Both were working a great deal, Mac as an author and journalist and Dorothy as an advertising copywriter and author. Over time, Mac's health worsened largely due to his World War I service and as a result he became unable to work.
Mac Fleming died June 9, 1950, at Sunnyside Cottage, Witham, Essex. Dorothy died suddenly of a stroke on 17 December 1957 at the same place.
From the early age Sayers was very gifted in languages, learning Latin by the age of seven and French from her governess.
She was educated at the Godolphin School, a boarding school at Salisbury but she had to leave it because of an illness.
In 1912 she won a scholarship to the Oxford women's college Somerville, studying modern languages and medieval literature. She finished with first-class honours in 1916. In 1920 Sayers earned her M.A., among one of the first group of women to be granted degrees from Oxford University.
Disliking the routine and seclusion of academic life she joined Blackwell's, the Oxford publishers, worked with her Oxford friend Eric Whelpton at L'École des Roches in Normandy, and from 1922 until 1931 served as copywriter at the London advertising firm of Bensons.
During these years Sayers went through a period she did not advertise much later. She had an illegitimate son, who was brought up by her cousin, Ivy Shrimpton. The father was Bill White, a motorcyclist and car salesman. Sayers rejected contraceptives, which caused a problem with her lover, the Russian born-novelist John Cournos, whom she met in 1921. Sayers wanted to marry him, but Cournos told her that he did not believe in marriage, afterwards she broke off with him.
Letters from this unhappy affair with him are now housed at Harvad University. Although her cousin Ivy Shrimpton took care of the child, Sayers followed closely his upbringing and supplied funds for this purpose. Sayers kept the child secret even from her parents who were in their seventies.
Sayers's friends learned of John Anthony's existence only after her death in 1957 as the only beneficiary under his mother's will. However, Sayers communicated regularly with her son by mail. Shortly before he died in 1984 John Anthony said that his mother "did the very best she could."
In 1926 Sayers married the journalist, Captain Oswald Atherton "Mac" Fleming, who was divorced and had two children. The marriage began happily with a strong partnership at home. Both were working a great deal, Mac as an author and journalist and Dorothy as an advertising copywriter and author. Over time, Mac's health worsened largely due to his World War I service and as a result he became unable to work.
Mac Fleming died June 9, 1950, at Sunnyside Cottage, Witham, Essex. Dorothy died suddenly of a stroke on 17 December 1957 at the same place.
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