Jan Morris was born on the 2nd of October, 1926 in Somerset, to an English mother and Welsh father. She was educated at Lancing College Boarding School and Christ Church, Oxford, was in the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers during World War 2, and then became a writer and journalist.
Jan Morris began her transition in 1964 and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 1972 in Morocco, which she wrote about in the 1974 book Conundrum. Her autobiography was the first written as ‘Jan Morris’ and was one of the first to discuss transitioning and as such was extremely influential in 20th century UK trans history (and beyond, as it was a worldwide bestseller);
“I was three or perhaps four years old when I realized that I had been born into the wrong body, and should really be a girl. I remember the moment well, and it is the earliest memory of my life.”
Jan married Elizabeth Tuckniss in 1949 and they had 5 children (4 surviving) including the Welsh language poet and musician Twm Morys. Jan and Elizabeth would have had to divorce for Jan to undergo her surgery in the UK, rather than in Morroco - they later still had to divorce but entered a civil partnership in 2008.
Through her life, Jan published travel books, essays, memoirs, short stories, articles, and more. She was a Welsh nationalist republican who also wrote several books about Wales. Jan was influential as a trans pioneer, but also influenced with her words, her exploration of the world, her politics, and even with her Welshness.
Jan and Elizabeth mostly lived at Trefan Morys, near Criccieth in North Wales, and were together for 70 years.
Jan Morris passed away on the 20th of November, 2020, aged 94, on Trans Remembrance Day.
Elizabeth Morris (née Tuckniss) passed away on the 17th of June, 2024, aged 99.
Image: Jan Morris portrait (at her home in Wales, with Norwegian cat, Ibsen) by Arturo Di Stefano, on display at the National Portrait Gallery.
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