David John Moore Cornwell (1931 to 2020), better known by his pen name John le Carré was an English author, best known for his espionage novels, many of which were successfully adapted for film or television.

These included international best-sellers such as:

• The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963)
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974)
• The Constant Gardener (1961)

A famous son of Poole

Born in Poole, David and his brother Tony often came back and visited the area after they moved away. They were frequent visitors to his grandfather’s house in Mount Road where they stayed with their aunties during the holidays, spending their time playing with cap guns at Constitution Hill and taking out boats at Poole Park.

Get creative: writing prompts

Like a good spy or writer, pay attention to clues that reveal more than meets the eye. Stick to public spaces and respect privacy!

Detective work

Being a writer can be a bit like being a detective, bring a notebook and subtly observe the world around you. Try to write down:

• details you notice
• secret patterns
• behaviours of passers by

Spies in the park

Imagine a covert meeting between two spies in Poole Park. Maybe they’re disguised as dog walkers or duck feeders, exchanging secret documents.

Write a scene with dialogue. Are there codewords? Does something go wrong? Let your imagination run wild!

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