A brief biography*
* We are indebted to Alan Burley who supplied the detailed information below (up to about 1974).
1914 August 1st, born in Falmouth, at home in 3, Lister Place (now called New Windsor Terrace). Father William John Rule Burley (b.Jan 14th 1866 in Redruth, d.1935); Mother Annie Curnow (b. 15th June 1870, d. 1st Jan 1956); 5 older sisters.
1921 Attended Trevethan Board School, Harbour Terrace at age 6 1/2.
1923 Attended Wellington Terrace School. A report for the half year ending March 31st 1926 gives the school name as Wellington Terrace Senior Boys' School, head teacher W D Squire. He was 3rd in a class of 47.
1926 Missed the Grammar school entrance exam because of illness. Attended Truro Central Technical Schools till aged 16 1/2, going up on the train each day. The school buildings now house the County Library in Truro.
1928 Move to No.1, Kimberley Place, opposite the Catholic Church.
1930/31 Moved to 107 Killigrew Road, Falmouth.
1931 Articled pupil in gas engineering to Truro Gas Company Ltd. This cost £30 per year, which the family could not afford, and he was awarded the Keam Scholarship by Cornwall County Council, arranged by the headmaster of his school. He studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics obtaining City and Guilds or UEI qualifications in each subject, plus the gas engineering qualification of the Institution of Gas Engineers.
1932 Met Muriel Wolsey at the Wesleyan Chapel in Falmouth.
1936 Appointed Technical Assistant, Truro Gas Co.
1938 Appointed Assistant Manager, Truro Gas Co.
1938 April 10th Married Muriel Wolsey at Penwerris Church in Falmouth. Honeymoon - 6 days at Seaway House, Seaway Road, Paignton. They then lived at 'Mahjongg', Tresawls Avenue, Highertown, Truro.
1940 Appointed Manager Okehampton Gas Co. Ltd. Lived at The Corner House, 1 Leeholes Avenue, Okehampton, a house supplied by the Gas Co. Son, Alan John, born Exeter hospital 13th June. Because he was in a 'reserved' occupation he was not called up to serve in the army, but served as a sergeant in the Home Guard.
1941 Elected Associate Member of Institution of British Engineers
1943 Son, Nigel Phillip, born at Okehampton hospital 4th August.
1944 Appointed Manager & Secretary of Crewkerne Gas and Coke Co. Ltd. at a salary of £400 p.a. plus house and fuel. Address : 129, South Street, Crewkerne. His departure and leaving presentation were reported on p.3 of the County Mail dated May 8th 1946 under 'presentation to Mr W J Burley'.
1946 Appointed Manager and Secretary of Camborne Gas Co.Ltd, with a showroom and office at 29, Trelowarren St., and the gas works at Tuckingmill, at a salary of £500 p.a. plus house and fuel. Started in May. Lived initially in lodgings at 32 Edward St, Tuckingmill, Camborne before moving to the manager's house next to the gas works in Tuckingmill, adjacent to Tolgarrick Road. The house was later in the news (front page with pictures) when there was a murder there - West Briton December 5th 1974.
1946 Started attending natural history evening classes given by Dr Frank Turk at the W.E.A.
1948 December, bought Dromona, Reskadinnick near Camborne, close to where Frank and Stella Turk lived : they had become close friends. The house was bought for £1000 in cash from Frank Moseley who lived there alone. John and Muriel borrowed the money from sisters Janie and Edith (Robin). The house was in a poor state and Frank and Stella helped with the decoration. The foreman at the gas works, Sandy - moved in to the manager's house in Tuckingmill.
1948-50 Under Frank's guidance took an increasing interest in zoology, particularly entomology and made a study of the insect life on and around the tin stream (Red River) of Reskadinnick, which is now a conservation area.
1950 Obtained a place at Balliol College, Oxford to study for a degree in zoology, based on Frank's recommendation and an interview. Awarded a state scholarship to pay fees, board and lodging and to support the family at Dromona. Resigned his post with the gas company with effect from 30th September, losing his pension rights by doing so.
1950-53 Completed his undergraduate course, living in the College during term time and returning to Dromona during vacations. During one vacation he took a job with the Inland Revenue office in Redruth. His tutor was Amyan Macfadyen with whom he became friendly and maintained contact after leaving the University. He obtained a second class honours degree in zoology.
1953 Offered the job of head of the biology department at Richmond & East Sheen County Grammar School for boys where he started in September at a salary of £721 p.a. He had spent the last few days of the previous (summer) term at Tiffins School in Kingston but since teaching had stopped by this time he was not able to do much. For the first two terms he lived in lodgings with a Mrs Povey in East Sheen, whilst the rest of the family stayed in Cornwall arranging the sale of Dromona. Alan, the elder son joined him at the school and in the lodgings for the second half of the Spring term in1954.
 1954 Muriel sold Dromona to Mrs Black through an advert in the Observer which mentioned its 'atrocious approach' : she was a fan of Roy Brooks' famous adverts in that paper. Proceeds after legal expenses were £1133 16/6d and sale completed on 12th April. At the same time the house at 78 Manor Road, Richmond was bought for £2000 from Mr G K Taylor with the help of a mortgage.
1955 Applied for the post of head of biology at Newquay Grammar School for boys and started there in September under Mr G S Parker, head-master, who was replaced by Mr Joe Gerber about a year later. The Richmond House was sold to Stanley Tyler for £2225 and the family moved to Cornwall at the end of the summer term renting a bungalow called St Christopher's at Crantock.
1956 After a long search they bought St Patrick's, Holywell for £1800 where they (John and Muriel) lived for the rest of their lives.
1955-74 John remained as head of the biology department until he retired, taking on the job of careers master as well for most of that time. When the Grammar schools were closed he moved with the staff and pupils to the Comprehensive school at Tretherras., where Muriel was the headmaster's (Mr Gerber) secretary.
1966 First book published by Victor Gollancz, A Taste of Power featuring amateur detective Dr Henry Pym and murder in a school.
1968 Three Toed Pussy published by Victor Gollancz, the first of 22 books featuring Superintendent Wycliffe .
1969 Death in Willow Pattern published, the second book featuring Henry Pym.
1970 To Kill a Cat published, the second book featuring Charles Wycliffe.
1971 Guilt Edged published, the third Wycliffe book.
1973 Death in a Salubrious Place published, the fourth Wycliffe book.
1974 John Burley retired at age 60.
1975 Death in Stanley Street published, the fifth Wycliffe book.
1975 Wycliffe and the Pea-Green Boat published .
1976 Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls published .
1977 The Schoolmaster published .
1978 The 6th Day , a work of science fiction, published.
1978 Wycliffe and the Scapegoat published.
1979 Charles and Elizabeth published .
1980 Wycliffe in Paul's Court published.
1981 The House of Care published.
1982 Wycliffe's Wild Goose Chase published.
1983 Wycliffe and the Beales published.
1985 Wycliffe and the Four Jacks published.
1986 Wycliffe and the Quiet Virgin published.
1982 Wycliffe's Wild Goose Chase published.
1983 Wycliffe and the Beales published.
1985 Wycliffe and the Four Jacks published.
1986 Wycliffe and the Quiet Virgin published.
1987 Wycliffe and the Winsor Blue published.
1988 Wycliffe and the Tangled Web published.
1990 Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death published.
1991 Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist published.
1992 Wycliffe and the Last Rites published.
1993 Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death pilot on HTV.
1994 Six Wycliffe episodes broadcast on ITV (based on published books).
1994 Wycliffe and the Dunes Mystery published.
1995 Eight Wycliffe episodes broadcast on ITV.
1995 Wycliffe and the House of Fear published.
1996 Eight Wycliffe episodes broadcast on ITV.
1997 Wycliffe and the Redhead published.
1997 Nine Wycliffe episodes broadcast on ITV (including a Christmas special).
1998 Six Wycliffe episodes broadcast on ITV.
2000 Wycliffe and the Guild of Nine published.
2002 John Burley died while working on Wycliffe's Last Lap which would have been the 23rd novel featuring Charles Wycliffe.
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