The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole is a British series of books written by Sue Townsend which focus on the life of Adrian Mole, one of life's losers, and his exploits and opinions of both the world's and social situations in the county of Leicestershire. The series begins when Mole is a thirteen-year-old delinquent and ends when he finds out he will be a grandfather at the age of forty.[1] A sequel was produced in 2011 to highlight the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, and Townsend had been working on another Adrian Mole book at the time of her death in April 2014.
Before the Adrian Mole books, there was a radio series entitled The Secret Diary of Nigel Mole, aged 13 3/4,[2] but the name was deemed too close to that of Nigel Molesworth.
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Main article: Pauline Mole |
George was born in 1940 to parents Albert (or Arnold/Arthur) and Edna May Mole. He was the elder brother to Susan Mole, his lesbian sister, who married a woman called Amanda and works in Holloway Prison.
He fell in love with his future wife, Pauline Sugden, and they married, having a son, Adrian. Pauline rejected their child for a year, leaving George to look after him, something Adrian never knew until he was middle aged. George took a job selling electrical storage heaters, but he is later made redundant; he later finds re-employment maintaining the banks of the local canal. George, Pauline and Adrian lived together at their house on Wisteria Walk, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire.
However, he and Pauline had several marital problems, and they both left each other for different people on various occasions. Pauline left George for insurance salesman Alan Lucas in the early 1980s, but later returned (pregnant with Rosie), telling George that the baby was his. Soon after, George left Pauline for his former colleague Doreen Slater, fathering a son, Brett, with her. This hurt Pauline because Brett was a name that she had wanted to call her child, believing all Bretts were successful in life. Eventually, after months of suspicion, George confessed his affair and secret son to Pauline and Adrian on their family holiday to Skegness; Pauline ordered him to return to Doreen, and then got Tania Braithwaite to collect them. George, Doreen and Doreen's son, Maxwell, moved in with George's mother. When Maxwell's father, and Doreen's previous boyfriend, Trevor Roper returns from the army, Doreen swiftly abandons George for Trevor, leading to George reconciling with Pauline. Happiness did not last, and eventually the Moles got divorced in 1990. Pauline got wed to toyboy lover Martin Muffett, twenty-three years her junior, and George started living with his lover Belinda Bellingham, owner of a company selling home security systems. These relationships both end sourly - Martin leaves Pauline for Adrian's girlfriend Bianca, and Belinda throws George out when she discovers that he has been selling her product in back-street boozers for half their retail value.
George and Pauline remarry in 1993, and take on primary responsibility for Adrian's son William, as Adrian is spending most of the week in Soho, working at Savage's Restaurant as head chef. This life continues for a while until the general election, when Adrian's childhood sweetheart Pandora Braithwaite became Ashby-de-la-Zouch's Labour MP in a landslide vote. Pauline, in an initially drunken mistake, had sex with Pandora's father Ivan in Ivan and his wife Tania's gazebo. This developed into an affair, until Pauline and Ivan left their spouses for each other. Tania offered George a shoulder to cry on at the Braithwaite homestead, The Lawns, and they began a relationship, successfully bemusing and confusing Adrian, Pandora, Rosie and William. The couples married, but Pauline and Ivan's happiness was cut short when Ivan drowned on his honeymoon. George and Tania continued living at The Lawns, with George helping Tania transform her house when she was undergoing a Japanese phase, but George falls from a ladder trying to construct a pagoda, breaking his spine and suffering deep cuts from all the credit cards in his pocket. While staying in hospital, George's spine was mended, but he contracted a superbug from some shoddily-cleaned equipment, causing him to be isolated and stay in hospital for upwards of eighteen months. Upon his recovery, Pauline managed to tempt George away from Tania, remarrying for a third and final time. This caused Tania to have a slight breakdown, combined with the loss of Ivan. George and Pauline move from Wisteria Walk to the (fictional) community of Mangold Parva, converting two disused pigsties into housing for themselves and Adrian's new family - Adrian, his wife Daisy and daughter Gracie. George quietens down in his later life, although he breaks his back again and has numerous strokes. He does agree to go on The Jeremy Kyle Show with Pauline, Rosie and Pauline's former lover Alan Lucas, to settle the long-running dispute over Rosie's paternity. When it is proven that Rosie is Lucas's child, George becomes withdrawn, hurt by Rosie's swift rejection of him and making him question if Adrian was his child. He makes amends with Pauline and settles into old age, especially pleased when he discovers that he will become a great-grandfather.
George, like Pauline, is sometimes tactless and inefficient. He has no qualms about showing favouritism for his three children - his favourite was always Rosie, which is why he took it so hard when he discovers Rosie is not his. He does not enjoy talking about his feelings and wants his son to be a "real man", like a computer technician. One of his less attractive qualities is his openly saying that he married Adrian's mother Pauline because of "how good her legs looked in a miniskirt".
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Main article: Rosie Mole |
Brett Slater, later Brett Mole, is the result of an affair between George Mole and Doreen Slater in the early 1980s, meaning he is Adrian's half-brother. Brett, a name his father stole from his then-wife Pauline, has an elder half-brother, Maxwell. The Slater family and George lived for a short time with George's mother Edna and eventually Brett moved with his mother and brother to Bournemouth. Brett re-enters Adrian's life in 2001, as an Oxford undergraduate who has been commissioned by Channel 4 to shoot a documentary on a council estate, and chose Adrian's site. Brett is everything Adrian ever wanted to be; rich, successful and popular with women. During the short time he stayed with his brother, he became a role model for Adrian's sons Glenn and William and left cables, cameras and crew all over Adrian's house. When the documentary flopped, Brett and his team disappeared within three hours. Brett re-appeared again in The Prostrate Years as a successful businessman who lost his empire and three riverside apartments in London, Tokyo and New York City to the credit crunch. He informs the Mole family that Doreen Slater died in a motorbike accident which, to Adrian, seemed to be a fabricated version of what really happened - there were a few facts that did not add up. Upon his arrival, Brett proceeded to steal the eyes of Adrian's daughter Gracie, wife Daisy and both Adrian's parents. Brett bought ten-packs of white cotton shirts and threw each one away after only a day’s wear. Adrian clears up after him, stops his brother's alcoholism and generally sorts him out; Brett lives on with Adrian after getting his life back on track before leaving once again.
Jojo Mapfumo (previously Mole) is Adrian's first wife and mother of William, his younger son. The couple met when Adrian, still chopping vegetables for Peter Savage, met Jojo on her first day as a waitress, the same job given up by Adrian's ex-girlfriend Bianca. Jojo and Adrian's marriage was short, although long enough to conceive and produce a child, but Jojo's memories are not exactly happy ones. She claims that Adrian's conversation was far from stimulating, and one conversation that agitated her was when Adrian accused her of exaggerating her sneezes. Jojo complains that exaggerating her sneezes is the last thing she would do, being a six-foot, pregnant black woman in extravagant dress. Jojo later divorces Adrian and leaves for her native homeland of Nigeria, with Adrian taking custody of their child. Jojo later marries a Nigerian man who is very successful in business (initially named as Colonel Ephat Mapfumo and later as Wole; it is possible Jojo in fact remarried twice.) Jojo looks up her ex-husband on the internet and faxes him, complete with the information she found on the internet, much to Adrian's agony. William visits his mother and stepfather in London while they are on their honeymoon. Jojo asks if she can take William back to Nigeria, as William is her eldest child and therefore held in high esteem by her family. Adrian tells her that she cannot, so Jojo goes back to Nigeria without her son. Between the events of The Lost Diaries and Weapons of Mass Destruction, Jojo takes William back to Nigeria, much to the heartache of Adrian, Glenn, Pauline and George. William telephones his father, and asks if he can change his name to Wole, like his stepfather's, to which Adrian reluctantly agrees. Jojo's family background is mixed; her father is a Nigerian chief, her mother the owner of a lorry-driving firm, and at the last count there were 204 members of her immediate family.
Daisy Mole (née Flowers) is Adrian's second wife and mother of his daughter, Gracie. Daisy is the first daughter of Michael Flowers and only child of his first wife, a Spanish woman named Conchita. Conchita ran away from Michael and infant Daisy when she found love with a butcher named Arthur and besides, Michael was suffocating her with undying love and presents. Daisy is the half-sister of Poppy and Marigold Flowers. Adrian is briefly engaged to Marigold, and only hears things about Daisy, but finally meets her when the Flowers family and the Mole family get together to discuss their offspring's upcoming marriage. Daisy is introduced as a devil-may-care type with Prada handbags and looks to spare. She and Adrian click instantly, and Adrian develops feelings for her that he must conceal. He eventually confides in his parents, George and Pauline, and they agree that Daisy is indeed a beauty. Adrian eventually breaks off the engagement, to the anger of Michael and Marigold's mother Netta, and gets engaged to Daisy; the two later marry. They move into the converted pigsty next to George and Pauline, and produce a daughter named Gracie, who enjoys dressing up as various Disney princesses. Daisy, originally thin, was becoming plumper and plumper until she starts eating whole packets of chocolate Digestives a day. Daisy and Adrian's marriage becomes boring, and Daisy finds comfort with Mangold Parva's local aristocrat, Hugo Fairfax-Lycett, and Daisy moves into the Fairfax-Lycett mansion, just down the road from her and Adrian's house. Pauline laments the loss of Daisy, saying that Daisy was the daughter she deserved. Adrian and Daisy later divorce, with Daisy and Hugo gaining main custody of Gracie. Despite their divorce, the two get on well afterwards. Daisy has never met William, but maintains a friendly relationship with Glenn.
Glenn Bott-Mole is the child of Adrian and Sharon Bott, half-brother to William and Gracie and nephew of Rosie Mole and Marjorie Bott. Rosie describes Glenn to Adrian as 'a psycho, but he has your nose'. Initially, Adrian is unsure of Glenn's parentage; at the time he was conceived, Sharon was seeing Barry Kent as well as Adrian. Regardless of this, Sharon's mother insists that Adrian sends Sharon some money every week to help her get by. However, blood tests prove that Adrian is indeed Glenn's father. Glenn and Adrian meet for the first time on Father's Day 1998, causing a tense atmosphere over the Mole household. Glenn's paternal grandmother, Pauline Mole (then Braithwaite) says that she can like the child, but love could take some working on. Glenn eventually leaves Sharon and moves in with his father and half-brother William. Inside a Mother's Day card for Sharon, Glenn's card reads: "You are mad and always sad, That is why I live with Dad". In his early teens, Glenn becomes obsessed with David Beckham and his family, so much to the point where he gets a Beckham haircut and adopts his accent. He does, however, take pity on his father and at one point takes charge when Adrian is on a low. Glenn later joins the army, and is stationed at Aldershot Barracks. Adrian pays for himself and Glenn to go on holiday to Cyprus, a place where Glenn is later posted. After this, he fights abroad in Afghanistan, much to the horror of Adrian and his parents. When he is on leave, he meets a girl, Finley-Rose. The couple spend Christmas with Finley's grandparents and become engaged. Glenn and Finley-Rose fall deeply in love and she becomes pregnant with Glenn's child, much to the joy of Adrian and his family.
William Mole (later Wole Mole) is Adrian's second son through his marriage to Jojo. William is a hyperactive as a child, and becomes the pride and joy of his grandparents, George and Pauline. As a child, he worries Adrian by becoming obsessed with Barbie dolls, asking for a Barbie-themed Easter egg and a Barbie hair-dressing salon for Christmas. Jojo never sees her son, and William never asks about her, yet he surprises Adrian by crying for his mother at the Safeway's crèche. Adrian uses him as an excuse to see Mary-Lou Hattersley, the proprietor of said crèche, with whom Adrian has a slight infatuation. He bribes William with McDonald's, but soon he puts his little foot down and refuses to be taken any longer. William goes to see his mother and her new husband, Wole, on their honeymoon in London. Jojo later claims William and takes him back to Nigeria upon the end of their civil war. William occasionally calls his father, and asks his consent to change his name to Wole like his stepfather. Adrian reluctantly agrees. Adrian deeply misses William, and does not talk about him as the subject is too painful. When Daisy says to Adrian "guess who's next door?!" in The Prostrate Years (meaning Adrian's half-brother Brett), Adrian's first thoughts go to William.
Grace Pauline "Gracie" Mole is the daughter of Adrian and Daisy Mole, and Adrian's third child and only daughter. Gracie is, by nature, an obnoxious child who refuses to wear her school uniform and goes in the costumes of various Disney princesses. In the end, her headmistress Mrs. Bull calls in Adrian and tells him to put his foot down, as Gracie's behaviour is attracting too much attention and refers the child to a child psychologist, despite Adrian's assertions that this could be the signs of a gifted child - something Mrs. Bull flatly denied. Gracie usually fights back to any sort of superiority or control over her, but her grandmother Pauline has a special force, to the point that when she is finished with her Gracie is polite, courteous, quiet and wearing school uniform. When Daisy and Adrian separate, the couple share custody of her. Gracie enjoys this, as Daisy's new boyfriend, Hugo Fairfax-Lycett, gives her a pony - something that Gracie has always wanted. Gracie adores her eldest brother, Glenn. She does not like her maternal grandfather, Michael Flowers, as "he looks like a lady with a beard"; a reference to Michael's ponytail.
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Main article: Pandora Braithwaite |
Ivan Braithwaite is the father of Pandora, first husband of Tania and fourth husband of Pauline. Ivan is a strict Labour supporter of Polish descent, and is a member of the local Labour party - that is, until he trusted Adrian to visit his house every day and feed their cat while the family were on holiday. Adrian saw Ivan's letter of resignation on the desk, and posted it. Ivan works as an accountant at the local dairy. Ivan eventually starts an affair with Pauline Mole, while his wife Tania starts one with Pauline's husband George. Pauline and Ivan eventually marry, as do George and Tania. However, their marriage does not last long; on his and Pauline's honeymoon, Ivan swims back to an island thirty meters away to fetch Pauline's sunglasses which she discovered in her bag. When Ivan tried to return, he was caught in difficulty and drowned, leaving Pauline, Tania and Pandora distraught. George, unable to cope with seeing Pauline so upset, leaves Tania, divorces her and eventually remarries Pauline for the third time.
Tania Braithwaite (previously Mole) is Pandora's mother, and the wife of firstly Ivan and secondly George. Tania is first introduced as a stylish, sophisticated woman with a great dress sense; however, in The Cappuccino Years, it is revealed that since the previous book Tania had suffered a minor stroke and lost the epic dress sense she possessed. Tania is left distraught after finding out Ivan had an affair with her daughter's ex-boyfriend's mother Pauline, but soon finds comfort from her husband George. The two couples eventually divorce and marry the other's spouse. Tania begins educating George, the second time he has had such an experience since splitting with his ex-mistress Belinda Bellingham, and the two live in the Braithwaite house, an elegant design made in the late 1970s and named 'The Lawns'. However, Tania is horrified to learn of Ivan's untimely death and is saddened further when her husband George leaves her to comfort his ex-wife. The couple soon divorce and Tania goes back to using the Braithwaite name.
Michael Flowers is the husband of Netta, father of Daisy, Poppy and Marigold and grandfather of Gracie. Michael owns a shop on Leicester High Street, County Organics, selling flower seeds. He votes conservative. He wears his hair in a ponytail, to the point where his granddaughter describes him as "a lady with a beard". Michael is a devout believer of all things organic, and does everything he can to prevent using fossil fuels. He invents a product, Orgobeet Juice, but it is rejected by Dragon's Den, much to his disgust. Michael has three daughters: Daisy, Poppy and Marigold. Daisy is the product of his first marriage to the Mexican Conchita, who left him; Poppy and Marigold are the products of his second marriage to Netta. He is an enthusiastic counter-tenor of the local madrigal society. He hates people from and all things to do with Mexico. Michael has a sister and a nephew.
Netta Flowers is the ex-wife of Michael Flowers. She, like her husband, does not want to waste fossil fuels, and makes foul-tasting foods as a result. She helps her husband at his shop in Leicester High Street. Netta starts having an affair with a man named Roger Middleton, and it is debated whether she and Michael should divorce so Netta can marry Roger or have an open marriage; the eventual outcome is divorce. Michael and Netta had two daughters together, Poppy and Marigold. Adrian describes her as having unnaturally red cheeks.
Marigold Flowers is the youngest daughter of Michael and Netta and the youngest sister of Daisy and Poppy. A thirty-something on-the-shelf depressive who works at Country Organics and accidentally becomes Adrian's girlfriend and later fiancée. Her hobby is building miniature dollhouses; she performs as Mary in a peripatetic Nativity with the Leicester Mummers, and is even less fun than this sounds. Fatally for Adrian, she has beautifully soft skin and fragile wrists. Her parents conclude that she and Adrian can have sexual intercourse every Tuesday and Thursday on Marigold's fairytale carriage bed which, according to Adrian, is "mind-boggling". When Marigold and Adrian split up, Adrian's schoolfriend Bruce “Brainbox” Henderson quickly takes his place. A scare runs through the Flowers and Mole families when Marigold announces she is pregnant, much to Adrian's horror. He agrees to pay Marigold a certain amount of money every week. Adrian and Daisy later read in Marigold's diary that she is faking the pregnancy, and later announces that she has had a miscarriage. Adrian never confronts her about the issue. A "manipulative, hysterical hypochondriac" according to her half-sister Daisy Flowers.
Poppy Flowers is the elder sister of Marigold and younger half-sister of Daisy. A Scientologist mathematics teacher whose distinguishing feature and main reason for living is her extraordinarily long hair. She is not enthusiastic about her parents and medievalism; she prefers the Romans for their civilising influence and "amazing hair products".