Bruce Chatwin (1940-1989)

Death: 18th January 1989
Location: Agios Nikolaos (St. Nicholas), Chora, Kardamyli, Messenia, Greece
Cause of death: HIV/AIDS


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British novelist and travel writer. He was born in Sheffield and went to work at Sotheby's in 1958; he eventually became a director of the company. In 1966 he resigned from Sotheby's and enrolled at the University of Edinburgh to study archaeology, but he left after two years without completing his degree. 

In 1972 Chatwin went to work for the Sunday Times Magazine as adviser on art and architecture, but he left them to travel to Patagonia. 

He spent six months in Patagonia and wrote In Patagonia (1977) which established him as a travel writer. 

Towards the end of the 1980’s he developed AIDS, he responded poorly to treatment, dying aged 48 in Nice. 

Chatwin was cremated and his ashes were buried in an unmarked gave under an olive tree in front of the Church of Agios Nikolaos, close to the home of one of his mentors, the writer Patrick Leigh Fermor..