Origins & Early Life

Dame Patricia Mary W. Barker, (née Drake; born 8 May 1943) is an English writer and novelist. She has won many awards for her fiction, which centres on themes of memory, trauma, survival and recovery. She is known for her Regeneration Trilogy, published in the 1990s, and, more recently, a series of books set during the Trojan War, starting with The Silence of the Girls in 2018.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Patricia Mary W. Drake was born on 8 May 1943 to a working-class family in Thornaby-on-Tees in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England. Her mother, Moyra Drake, died in 2000; her father's identity is unknown. According to The Times, Moyra became pregnant "after a drunken night out while in the Wrens." In a social climate where illegitimacy was regarded with shame, she told people that the resulting child was her sister rather than her daughter. They lived with Barker's grandmother Alice and step-grandfather William, until her mother married and moved out when Barker was seven.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Barker could have joined her mother, she told The Guardian in 2003, but chose to stay with her grandmother "because of love of her, and because my stepfather didn't warm to me, nor me to him." Her grandparents...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alvy Ray Smith — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering computer scientist and co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios.
• Antonio Inoki — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering Japanese wrestler, martial artist, and political figure.
• Arthur Ashe — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering American tennis star, celebrated for his skill and activism.
• 6ix9ine — Shared historical date (05-08 · Born) (1996): American rapper known for aggressive style and controversial public persona.
• Charles Horton Cooley — Shared historical date (05-08 · Died) (1929): Pioneering American sociologist known for the 'looking-glass self' concept.
• Arthur B. McDonald — Historical peer (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering Canadian astrophysicist, recognized for neutrino research and the 2015 Nobel Prize.
• Barry Manilow — Historical peer (Born in 1943) (1943): Enduring American singer, songwriter, and producer with a six-decade career.
• Aretha Franklin — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): The "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin defined American music with unparalleled vocal power.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): Indian statesman and poet, served as Prime Minister of India multiple times.
• A. E. van Vogt — Historical peer (Died in 2000) (2000): Influential Canadian-American science fiction writer known for bizarre narratives.
• 1943 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1943
• May 8 (05-08) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 8