While participating in forbidden behavior together such as opening doors with She noted the animals began assuming the other’s characteristics She found the pair to be uniquely and unusually friendly Relationship between the Siamese cat and the bull terrier was of interest toīurnford as a writer.

Once all the children went away to school during the day, theįamily acquired a Siamese kitten, Simon (also referred to as Tao). David and Sheila moved themselves and their threeĭaughters: Peronelle, Elizabeth, and Juliet, and the English bull terrier,īill to Canada. In 1949, David Burnford, a pediatrician, was offered a position Incredible Journey she would write years later. The bull terrierīecame an inspiration and namesake for one of the main characters in The She had only him to talk to at home as a captive audience. She attributed hisĮxtraordinary extent of recognition of words and phrases from the years where She would read to Bill from the newspaper in theĮvenings and talk to him as she went about her chores. “Bill”) an English bull terrier who became her best companion on theīlacked-out nights of war. Her husband David was away to war she acquired Bodger (sometimes referred to as It was during her time as a young mother and new bride when Written years later about an unusual pair: a trained terrier and a capuchin HerĮxperience of war and the landscapes of France and England at this time were During her time in the VAD she met and married her husband, a doctor, David Burnford inġ941 and continued working as an ambulance driver for another year. She worked as an ambulance driver for a majority of that time.

Naval Hospitals Voluntary Aid Detachment (or VAD) from 1939-1941 in England.

Her greatly as a self-directed writer being able to find solace in a house fullĪs a young woman during WWII, she was part of the Royal Little privacy to attending boarding schools at such a young age. She attributed her ability to find solitude with very While herīeginnings are in Scotland, she traveled extensively and called North America homeįor a period of time. HerĬollegiate studies also allowed her to study in France and Germany. She attended Harrogate College in Yorkshire, England. Sheila Burnford was born in Scotland on to

The incredible journey burnford