Clare M O'Leary was born at O'Leary Farm in Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland. She was educated in England and married Donald Charles Alfred Crowhurst in October of 1957. Together, they had four children: James, Simon, Roger and Rachael.
Clare became known to the public in 1968 when her husband joined the Golden Globe Sailing race. Inspired by Sir Francis Chichester's round the world in trip in 1966 participants were competing to be the first man to circumnavigate the globe, alone, without help and without stepping on land at all. (Sir Francis stopped only once, going to land in Australia before continuing home to England.)
After Donald Crowhurst's journey failed and his boat was found without him in it, Clare went in to deep mourning. His body was never found. Clare was able to keep a roof over the heads of her family thanks to the generosity of the winner of the race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who donated his £5,000 prize money to Donald Crowhurst's widow and children.
After her husband's fraud was exposed, Clare was thrust in to the spotlight and did everything she could to protect her children from the press and news stories. Her son, Simon, has stated he didn't find out what had happened until he was around 16 or 17, so Clare was ultimately successful.
Tragedy struck again when her eldest son, James, was killed in a motorbike accident in 1979 - ten years after the death of his father.
Clare tried to live a life out of the spotlight, though she eventually gave a couple select interviews in the early - mid 2000s.
Clare M Crowhurst died on 25 September 2019 in Devon, England, aged 87.
Clare became known to the public in 1968 when her husband joined the Golden Globe Sailing race. Inspired by Sir Francis Chichester's round the world in trip in 1966 participants were competing to be the first man to circumnavigate the globe, alone, without help and without stepping on land at all. (Sir Francis stopped only once, going to land in Australia before continuing home to England.)
After Donald Crowhurst's journey failed and his boat was found without him in it, Clare went in to deep mourning. His body was never found. Clare was able to keep a roof over the heads of her family thanks to the generosity of the winner of the race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who donated his £5,000 prize money to Donald Crowhurst's widow and children.
After her husband's fraud was exposed, Clare was thrust in to the spotlight and did everything she could to protect her children from the press and news stories. Her son, Simon, has stated he didn't find out what had happened until he was around 16 or 17, so Clare was ultimately successful.
Tragedy struck again when her eldest son, James, was killed in a motorbike accident in 1979 - ten years after the death of his father.
Clare tried to live a life out of the spotlight, though she eventually gave a couple select interviews in the early - mid 2000s.
Clare M Crowhurst died on 25 September 2019 in Devon, England, aged 87.
Clare M O'Leary was born at O'Leary Farm in Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland. She was educated in England and married Donald Charles Alfred Crowhurst in October of 1957. Together, they had four children: James, Simon, Roger and Rachael.
Clare became known to the public in 1968 when her husband joined the Golden Globe Sailing race. Inspired by Sir Francis Chichester's round the world in trip in 1966 participants were competing to be the first man to circumnavigate the globe, alone, without help and without stepping on land at all. (Sir Francis stopped only once, going to land in Australia before continuing home to England.)
After Donald Crowhurst's journey failed and his boat was found without him in it, Clare went in to deep mourning. His body was never found. Clare was able to keep a roof over the heads of her family thanks to the generosity of the winner of the race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who donated his £5,000 prize money to Donald Crowhurst's widow and children.
After her husband's fraud was exposed, Clare was thrust in to the spotlight and did everything she could to protect her children from the press and news stories. Her son, Simon, has stated he didn't find out what had happened until he was around 16 or 17, so Clare was ultimately successful.
Tragedy struck again when her eldest son, James, was killed in a motorbike accident in 1979 - ten years after the death of his father.
Clare tried to live a life out of the spotlight, though she eventually gave a couple select interviews in the early - mid 2000s.
Clare M Crowhurst died on 25 September 2019 in Devon, England, aged 87.
Clare became known to the public in 1968 when her husband joined the Golden Globe Sailing race. Inspired by Sir Francis Chichester's round the world in trip in 1966 participants were competing to be the first man to circumnavigate the globe, alone, without help and without stepping on land at all. (Sir Francis stopped only once, going to land in Australia before continuing home to England.)
After Donald Crowhurst's journey failed and his boat was found without him in it, Clare went in to deep mourning. His body was never found. Clare was able to keep a roof over the heads of her family thanks to the generosity of the winner of the race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who donated his £5,000 prize money to Donald Crowhurst's widow and children.
After her husband's fraud was exposed, Clare was thrust in to the spotlight and did everything she could to protect her children from the press and news stories. Her son, Simon, has stated he didn't find out what had happened until he was around 16 or 17, so Clare was ultimately successful.
Tragedy struck again when her eldest son, James, was killed in a motorbike accident in 1979 - ten years after the death of his father.
Clare tried to live a life out of the spotlight, though she eventually gave a couple select interviews in the early - mid 2000s.
Clare M Crowhurst died on 25 September 2019 in Devon, England, aged 87.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
