People like Jill Murphy

Jill Murphy (5 July 1949 – 18 August 2021) was a British author and illustrator of children's books. First published in 1974 at the age of 24, she was best known for the Worst Witch novels and Large Family picture books, with sales amounting to several millions. Her books have also been adapted for stage and television. She has been called "one of the most engaging writers and illustrators for children in the land".

Born in London, the daughter of Reeney (Irene) and Eric Murphy, Jill Murphy was brought up in Chessington, Surrey. Reminiscing about growing up in post-war Britain, she said: "I had a classic 1950s childhood. My mum was at home, because in those days that's what mums did. My dad worked in an aircraft factory. He was up really early in the morning, came home exhausted at night and I didn’t really see him." She won a scholarship to the Roman Catholic grammar school in Wimbledon. She showed an interest in writing and drawing at the age of 6; although not excelling in other school subjects, she had made her own enormous library of hand-written and illustrated books while still at primary school. She enjoyed reading boarding-school stories, which provided material and inspiration for Miss Cackle's Academy in the Worst Witch series, as did the Ursuline High School, Wimbledon, which she attended. She grew up a Roman Catholic, but she did not practise the faith in later years. Her stay-at-home mother was a "book maniac" and her father was an Irish engineer.