Harry de Windt
Captain Harry Willes Darell de Windt was an explorer and travel writer. His books were published under the name of Harry de Windt.
Early life
Harry de Windt was born on 9 April 1856 in Paris. He was the son of Capt. Joseph Clayton Jennyns de Windt, of Blunsdon Hall, between Swindon and Highworth in Wiltshire, England, and Elizabeth Sarah Johnson. Among his siblings was sister Margaret Alice Lili de Windt, who married Charles Brooke.He was admitted to Magdalene College, Cambridge in 1875, but did not take a degree, travelling with his brother-in-law.
Career
From 1876 to 1878, de Windt served as aide-de-camp to his brother-in-law, Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak.In April 1897, while attempting to travel by land from New York to Paris, he became seriously ill at Paris after enduring exposure and poor treatment at Tchuktchis, Bering Strait. In July 1902, he reached Dawson after traveling from Siberia on a river steamer with Viscount Desclinchams, Belgrade of Paris, George Harding, and Stephen Rastorguyef.
Personal life
On 18 July 1882 at St George's, Hanover Square in London, Harry married Frances Laura Arabella Long. The couple had a daughter, Margaret, in 1884 and divorced in 1888. He married Hilda Frances E. Clark, who died, without issue, in 1924. Three years later he married the actress Charlotte Elizabeth Ihle, better known by her stage name Elaine Inescourt.Harry died at Bournemouth on 30 November 1933.