Geoffrey Willans

Herbert Geoffrey Willans, an English writer and journalist, is best known as the creator of Nigel Molesworth, the "goriller of 3B" and "curse of St. Custard's", as in the four books with illustrations by Ronald Searle. Willans was born in Smyrna in Turkey, where his father was a superintendent of the Ottoman Aidan Railway. He was educated at Blundells School in Tiverton, Devon, and became a schoolmaster there. He also taught at Sutherland House, Surrey and Carn Brea School, Bromley. He enjoyed sailing in small boats.