Age, Biography and Wiki

Robert Westall (Robert Atkinson) was born on 7 October, 1929 in North Shields, Northumberland, England, UK, is an English teacher and children's novelist (1929–1993). Discover Robert Westall's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 63 years old?

Popular As Robert Atkinson
Occupation Novelist
Age 63 years old
Zodiac Sign Libra
Born 7 October 1929
Birthday 7 October
Birthplace North Shields, Northumberland, England, UK
Date of death 15 April, 1993
Died Place Warrington, England, UK
Nationality North

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 7 October. He is a member of famous novelist with the age 63 years old group.

Robert Westall Height, Weight & Measurements

At 63 years old, Robert Westall height not available right now. We will update Robert Westall's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Robert Westall's Wife?

His wife is Jean Underhill (m. 1958)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Jean Underhill (m. 1958)
Sibling Not Available
Children 1 son

Robert Westall Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Robert Westall worth at the age of 63 years old? Robert Westall’s income source is mostly from being a successful novelist. He is from North. We have estimated Robert Westall's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income novelist

Robert Westall Social Network

Instagram
Linkedin
Twitter
Facebook
Wikipedia
Imdb

Timeline

1929

Robert Atkinson Westall (7 October 1929 – 15 April 1993) was an English author and teacher known for fiction aimed at children and young people.

Some of the latter cover complex, dark, and adult themes.

He has been called "the dean of British war novelists".

Robert Westall was born 7 October 1929 in North Shields, Northumberland.

He grew up there on Tyneside during the Second World War, which he used as the setting for many of his novels.

1953

From 1953 until 1955, Westall did national service in the British Army as a Lance Corporal in the Royal Corps of Signals.

Westall then became a teacher, serving as Head of Art and Head of Careers at Sir John Deane's Grammar School in Northwich, Cheshire.

1957

He earned a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art at Durham University and a post-graduate degree in sculpture at the Slade School of Art in London in 1957.

1966

Westall acted as a branch director of Samaritans in 1966–1975, while writing for papers such as Cheshire Life and The Cheshire Chronicle, and for The Guardian as an art critic.

Westall was inspired to be a writer by telling his son Christopher stories about his experiences in the Second World War.

1975

His first book, The Machine Gunners, won the 1975 Carnegie Medal for the year's outstanding children's book by a British subject.

His first book, The Machine Gunners, issued by Macmillan in 1975, told a Second World War story about English children who find "a crashed German bomber in the woods complete with machine gun".

1977

He returned to its setting in Garmouth, a fictionalised Tynemouth, in other novels, including The Watch House (1977) and Fathom Five (1979), which continues the Machine Gunners story.

1978

Christopher was killed in a motorbike accident at the age of 18 in 1978.

He became the inspiration for The Devil on the Road (1978), commended for the Carnegie Medal, and for a short story in The Haunting of Chas McGill (1983).

1981

Westall won a second Carnegie Medal for The Scarecrows (Chatto & Windus, 1981).

1983

It was adapted as a BBC television serial in 1983.

1985

He retired from teaching only in 1985 and tried dealing in antiques before focusing exclusively on writing.

1988

From 1988 until his death Westall attended a writers' circle in Lymm where he helped to assist and mentor new writers.

1989

For Blitzcat (Bodley Head, 1989) he won the annual Smarties Prize in category 9–11 years, which in 1994 the American Library Association named as one of the hundred Best Books for Young Adults of the Last 25 years.

1990

He finally won the once-in-a-lifetime Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for The Kingdom by the Sea (Methuen, 1990).

1992

Both that and Gulf (1992) were commended runners-up for the Carnegie Medal.

The latter tells of the home front during the Persian Gulf War.

1993

Westall died on 15 April 1993 in Warrington Hospital of respiratory failure from pneumonia.

At the time of his death, he lived in lodgings with his landlady, Lindy McKinnel, at 1 Woodland Avenue in the village of Lymm.

He had his own cottage a few paces away, which he visited every day to do his writing.

Previously he had lived at 20 Winnington Lane, Northwich and run Magpie Antiques, Church Street, Davenham.

As a journalist, Westall wrote for Cheshire Life, the Northwich Chronicle and the Warrington Guardian.

A memorial service was held on 29 September 1993, at nearby All Saints' Church, Thelwall, Warrington.

Tributes were paid by former teaching colleagues and Miriam Hodgson, editorial director (fiction) of Reed Children's Books.

A blue plaque was placed on Westall's birthplace, 7 Vicarage Street, North Shields, the following year.

There is also a Westall Walk across locations used by Westall in his stories.

2006

In October 2006, A Trip to Tynemouth by the Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki was published in Japan.

It is based on "Blackham's Wimpy", a story first published in Westall's Break of Dark collection.

The rival RAF crews in the story fly Vickers Wellington bombers.

The nickname "Wimpy" comes from Wimpy in the Popeye cartoons.

According to WorldCat, participating libraries hold editions of Westall's books in 17 foreign languages.

American Library Association 100 Best Books for Young Adults of the Last 25 years

2007

It was named among the top ten Medal-winners at the 70th anniversary celebration in 2007.

Westall also won a second Carnegie (no one has yet won three), a Smarties Prize, and the once-in-a-lifetime Guardian Prize.