The writer of this book, Richard Doddridge Blackmore, was
born at Longworth in Oxfordshire, England, on 7 June 1825. His
mother died of a serious illness when he was only three months
old, and young Richard was sent away to live with his aunt. Six
years later, he returned to live with his father, who had married
again. Almost immediately, the whole family moved to Devon,
in south-west England. Richard went to Blundell's School in
Tiverton, where we meet John Ridd in the first chapter of this
book.