Francis Charles Chichester was born on the 17th September 1901in Shirwell, the son of a Devon rector. He had a bleak and lonely childhood he once said that his father was rather a tormented man, who seemed to be disapproving of everything Francis did, and waiting to squash any enthusiasm that he had. For instance, when Francis was bitten by a viper at the age of 11 his father sent him off to bicycle all alone to an infirmary four and a half miles away. It may be that in his adventures later on in life he was still trying to win the approval and self-respect he was denied as a child. Howev…
