Alice Munro, a Canadian short story writer renowned for her masterful storytelling and deep psychological insight, got married twice.
Born on July 10, 1931, in Wingham, Ontario, she began writing in her youth and published her first collection, “Dance of the Happy Shades,” in 1968.
Highlights
- Alice married James Munro in 1951. James, a bookstore owner passionate about literature, supported her writing endeavors throughout their marriage.
- After divorcing James, Alice married Gerald Fremlin in 1976. Gerald was a decorated veteran and geographer.
- Recently, Munro’s daughter, Andrea Robin Skinner, revealed that Gerald Fremlin had mistreated her as a child.
Over her career, Munro has published numerous acclaimed collections, such as “Lives of Girls and Women” (1971), “The Moons of Jupiter” (1982), “Runaway” (2004), and “Dear Life” (2012).
She is celebrated for revolutionizing the short story form and continues to influence writers and readers worldwide significantly.
Alice’s And Her First Husband, James Munro: A Literary Partnership Of Over Two Decades!
Alice Munro initially found companionship with the notable bookstore owner, James Munro.
James, born on October 10, 1929, in Oakville, Ontario, had a lifelong passion for literature that eventually brought him and Alice together.
From an early age, James was captivated by all forms of literary works and became one of Alice’s greatest supporters, consistently encouraging her to explore various storytelling styles.
In 1951, when Alice was just 20 years old, the couple decided to get married after completing their studies at the University of Western Ontario.
The couple settled in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Alice faced the challenges of balancing her writing career with her roles as a suburban wife and mother.
At that time, James was employed by the T. Eaton Company but harbored aspirations of opening his bookstore.
This opportunity arose when the family relocated to Victoria in 1963. With Alice’s encouragement, James was persuaded to pursue his dream of opening a bookstore.
Alice and James secured a small location near Victoria’s Book on Yates Street. At the time, there were not many bookstores around.
The local bookstore offered a selection of popular books, but James focused on appealing to a younger audience and provided opportunities for emerging writers.
Today, over 50 years later, the bookstore remains operational. It is even occasionally recognized as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.
They had three daughters: Sheila, Jenny, and Andrea Munro. They also had a daughter named Catherine, who passed away at birth.
However, after being together for almost two decades, their marriage ended in divorce in 1972.
Gerald Fremlin, Alice Munro’s Second Husband, Faces Allegations of Abusing Her Daughter Andrea!
After separation from her first husband, Alice found her love again. Munro’s second husband was Gerald Fremlin, whom she had known since university.
Gerald once complimented her during her undergraduate years by saying her story reminded him of Anton P. Chekhov.
Gerald was also an accomplished individual in his own right. His contributions to geography are well-regarded, and he played a significant role in editing the National Atlas of Canada.
He also served his country as a bomb-aimer in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1942 to 1945.
During his military career, he completed 37 operations with the 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds, the 550 Squadron at North Killingholme, and the 582 Squadron (Pathfinders) at Little Staughton.
After his military service, Gerald pursued studies in philosophy and later developed interests in painting and poetry.
In 1976, he married Alice Munro, and the couple sought a quiet life by moving to Gerald’s family home in Clinton.
However, Gerald passed away on April 17, 2013, at the house where he had spent his childhood.
Recently, Gerald has been subject to controversy following allegations made by Munro’s daughter, Andrea Robin Skinner.
Andrea has revealed that Gerald Fremlin started doing it to her when she was a child.
She claims that it began when she was nine years old, and Gerald initiated physical contact while Alice Munro was out of the house.
Andrea also disclosed that her mother was aware of it but chose not to take any action, stating that she “loved him too much” to leave him.
Fremlin even wrote letters to the Munro family, admitting to the crime and blaming Andrea for it.
Additional Information
- In a first-person essay, Andrea Robin Skinner shared a heart-wrenching story regarding mistreat by Stepfather Gerald Fremlin.
- It began in 1976 when Skinner was nine years old.
- Skinner also claimed that her mother, Alice Munro, knew about the it but did nothing to stop it.
