Lenrie Peters facts for kids
Lenrie Leopold Wilfred Peters (born September 1, 1932 – died May 28, 2009) was a very talented man from The Gambia. He was a surgeon (a doctor who performs operations), a novelist (someone who writes books), a poet (someone who writes poems), and an educationist (someone who works in education).
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About Lenrie Peters
Lenrie Peters was born in 1931 in Bathurst, which is now called Banjul, in The Gambia. His parents were Lenrie Ernest Ingram Peters and Kezia Rosemary. His father was from Sierra Leone, and his mother was a Gambian Creole with Sierra Leonean roots.
Lenrie grew up in Bathurst. In 1949, he moved to Sierra Leone to continue his education. He went to the Prince of Wales School in Freetown. There, he earned a special certificate in science subjects.
His Time at University
In 1952, Lenrie Peters went to Trinity College, Cambridge University in England. He studied Natural Sciences and earned his degree in 1956. After that, from 1956 to 1959, he studied and worked at University College Hospital in London. In 1959, he received a special diploma in Medicine and Surgery from Cambridge.
While he was at Cambridge University, he became the president of the African Students' Union. He was very interested in Pan-Africanist politics. This is a movement that encourages the unity and strength of all people of African descent. During this time, he also started writing poetry and plays. He began working on his only novel, The Second Round, which was published in 1965.
His Career
From 1955 to 1968, Lenrie Peters also worked for the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). He helped with their programs about Africa.
After his studies, Peters worked in hospitals in Guildford and Northampton in England. Later, he returned to The Gambia. He opened his own surgical practice in Banjul. He was a respected member of the West African College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons in England.
Lenrie Peters held many important positions in The Gambia. He was the President of the Historic Commission of Monuments. He also led the board of directors for the National Library of the Gambia and The Gambia College from 1979 to 1987. From 1985 to 1991, he was a member and then President of the West African Examination Council (WAEC). This council helps organize exams for students in West Africa.
Lenrie Peters passed away in Dakar, Senegal, in 2009. He was 76 years old.
What He Wrote
Lenrie Peters was known for his writing, especially his poetry and his novel.
Poetry Books
- 1964: Poems
- 1967: Satellites
- 1971: Katchikali ISBN: 0-435-90633-X ; ISBN: 0-435-90103-6
- 1981: Selected Poetry ISBN: 0-435-90238-5
- 1984: A New Book of African Verse
Novel
- 1965: The Second Round ISBN: 0-435-90022-6
See also
In Spanish: Lenrie Peters para niños
