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There has been much confusion over the details of Archer's life and it has been alleged that he has exploited ambiguities or else fabricated details on many occasions.
He was born in the City of London maternity hospital and most of his childhood was spent in the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. After leaving school with few qualifications he worked in a number of jobs, including training with the Army and Police force, and working as a teacher. He gained a place at Brasenose College, Oxford to study for a one-year diploma in education, though he eventually stayed there for three years. He is not, however, an Oxford graduate.
While at Oxford he was moderately successful in athletics, competing in sprinting and hurdling. He also made a name for himself in raising money for the then little-known charity Oxfam, famously managing to obtain the support of The Beatles in a charity fundraising drive. It was during this period that he met his wife, Mary, a brilliant student who is believed by many to have had a hand in his most successful novels.
After leaving university he continued as a charity fundraiser with varying success. He also began a career in politics, serving as a councillor in London. At the age of 29 he was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament for the Lincolnshire constituency of Louth. Later, he would claim to have been the youngest MP ever, but he was not even the youngest in the HouseIn a bicameral parliament of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. The Commons generally holds much more power than the upper house (the senate or House of Lords). The leader of the majority at the time.
In 1974 Archer became heavily indebted after falling victim to a fraudulent investment scheme involving Aquablast, a Canadian company. Faced with likely bankruptcyBankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organisation to pay their creditors. A declared state of bankruptcy can be requested or initiated by the bankrupt individual or organisation, or it can be requested by, he stood down as an MP at the October 1974 general electionThe UK general election of October 1974 took place on October 10, 1974. It was the second of two United Kingdom general elections held that year. Prime Minister Harold Wilson, having taken power in a minority government after the February election, return, and turned to writing novels. His first novel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny LessNot a Penny More, Not a Penny Less was Jeffrey Archer's first novel, first published in 1974. It was said to have been inspired by Archer's real-life experience of bankruptcy. Briefly it is the story of four British men who are swindled by an American mag was a success, and he ultimately avoided bankruptcy. Kane and Abel proved to be his best-selling novel, reaching number 1 on the New York Times bestsellers list. It was made into a successful television series. Archer's literary pretensions were consolidated by his purchase of the Old Vicarage, Grantchester , a house associated with Rupert BrookeRupert Brooke ( August 3, 1887 April 23, 1915) was an English poet writing in the period immediately before and during the First World War. Biography He was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of a Rugby schoolmaster, and was educated at Rugby School..
Archer's political career thrived once he became well-known for his books. He was made Deputy Chairman of the Conservative party by Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born October 13, 1925) is a British politician and the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a position she held from 1979 to 1990. She is a member of the Conservative Party and still, created a life peerIn the United Kingdom, Life Peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as hereditary peers). Nowadays, life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peera in 1992 by John Major, and was selected by the party as candidate for the London mayoral election of 2000. He was forced to withdraw from the race when it was revealed that he was facing a major court case. Throughout his later career, he was doggedly investigated (or harassed) by the journalist Michael Crick , who has become semi-famous as Archer's unofficial biographer and nemesis.