George L. Du Maurier

George du Maurier was an anglo-French writer and cartoonist best known for creating the character of Svengali in his 1894 novel "Trilby" and for being the father of actor-manager Sir Gerald Du Maurier, the grandfather of writer Dame Daphne Du Maurier, and the grandfather of the Llewelyn Davies boys who inspired J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan (1924).

Du Maurier was born in Paris on March 6, 1834 to Louis-Mathurin Du Maurier and Ellen Clarke. His maternal grandmother was Mary Anne Clarke, who was a notorious courtesan during England's Regency period. After studying art in Paris, George moved to Antwerp, Belgium and met Englishwoman Emma Wightwick, who was to become his wife, in Düsseldorf, Germany. He followed Emma to London and married her in 1863. Of their five children, Gerald was their second son and last-born. He died on October 8, 1896 at the age of 62.