Page "Daniel Defoe" Paragraph 2

Daniel Foe ( his original name ) was probably born in the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, London.

Defoe later added the aristocratic-sounding " De " to his name and on occasion claimed descent from the family of De Beau Faux.

The date and the place of his birth are uncertain, with sources often giving dates of anywhere between 1659 to 1661.

His father, James Foe, a member of the Butchers ' Company, was a prosperous tallow chandler.

In Defoe's early life he experienced first-hand some of the most unusual occurrences in English history: in 1665, 70, 000 were killed by the Great Plague of London.

The Great Fire of London ( 1666 ) left standing only Defoe's and two other homes in his neighbourhood.

In 1667, when Defoe was probably about seven years old, a Dutch fleet sailed up the Medway via the River Thames and attacked Chatham.

By the time he was about 10, Defoe's mother Annie had died.