Jane Hawking facts for kids

Jane Hawking is an English author and teacher. She was married to the famous scientist Stephen Hawking for 30 years. She is known for writing books about her life, especially her time with Stephen.

Early Life and Studies

Jane Beryl Wilde was born on March 29, 1944. Her parents were George and Beryl Wilde. She grew up in a town called St Albans in England. Jane was raised in the Church of England and is a Christian.

She went to Westfield College, which is part of the University of London. There, she studied languages. In 1962, Jane met Stephen Hawking at a party through friends from college.

Meeting Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with a serious illness called motor neurone disease in 1963. This disease affects the nerves and muscles. Even though they knew his health would get worse, Jane and Stephen got engaged in 1964. They married in 1965 in their hometown of St Albans.

They had three children together. Their son Robert was born in 1967. Their daughter Lucy was born in 1970. Their youngest son, Timothy, was born in 1979.

Earning a PhD

Jane worked hard on her studies for many years. In April 1981, she earned her PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) from Westfield College. Her special area of study was medieval Spanish poetry. She wanted to have her own academic identity. This meant she wanted to be known for her own studies and work.

Life After Marriage

Jane and Stephen Hawking separated in 1990. They divorced five years later, in 1995. In 1997, Jane married a musician named Jonathan Hellyer Jones.

Even after their divorce, Jane continued to support Stephen. She helped him through his health problems as he kept working. In a later book, she wrote that they were able to spend time together again as a family. She said it was "quite like old times."

During her marriage to Stephen, Jane faced many challenges. Stephen's illness progressed, and she was his caregiver. She shared in an interview that her Christian faith helped her through difficult times. It gave her hope and strength.

Books and Films

In 1999, Jane wrote a book about her first marriage. It was called Music to Move the Stars: A Life with Stephen. This book was later used to make a TV film in 2004 called Hawking. This film showed Stephen's early years at Cambridge University and how their relationship began.

Later, in 2009, Jane's book was updated and republished. The new title was Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen. This updated book became the basis for a very popular and award-winning film. The film was called The Theory of Everything, released in 2014. After the film came out, Jane talked about her life on a BBC radio show in 2015.

Jane Hawking's Published Works

Jane Hawking has written several books. These include:

• At Home In France: Guide to Buying and Renovating Property In France (1994)
• Music to Move the Stars: A Life with Stephen (1999)
• Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen (2007)
• Silent Music (2016)
• Cry to Dream Again (2018)

See also

In Spanish: Jane Wilde Hawking para niños