George Henry Borrow was an English novelist and travel writer who drew on his personal experiences in Europe. His travels gave him a close affinity for the Romani people of Europe, who play an important role in his work. His most well-known works are The Bible in Spain and the novels Lavengro and The Romany Rye, which are set during his stay among the English Romanichal (Gypsies). Borrow was born in East Dereham, Norfolk, the son of Thomas Borrow (1758-1824), an army recruiter, and Ann Perfrement (1772-1858), a farmer's daughter. His father, a lieutenant in the West Norfolk Militia, was imprisoned at Norman Cross from July 1811 to April 1813, and George spent his ninth and tenth years in the barracks there. He attended the Royal High School of Edinburgh and the Norwich Grammar School. Borrow studied law, but languages and literature became his primary passions. In 1825, he made his first major European excursion, trekking across France and Germany. Over the next five years, he traveled to Russia, Portugal, Spain, and Morocco, becoming acquainted with the people and languages of each country.
