Beatrix Potter
The author and illustrator of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and 22 more little books for children. Beatrix lived a secluded life in London except for the long summer holidays her family took in the in the English countryside. Those trips sparked her imagination and inspired her charming stories until she could finally make a home for herself in a tiny Lake District village in northern England.
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Beatrix Potter Program
The program includes stories about Beatrix's childhood, pets, studies in mycology, publishing and farming. Raylene will paint a small watercolor of Peter Rabbit while speaking to be given away at the end of the program. This is a 35-40 minute presentation followed by a question and answer time. It is conducted in first person and in costume. Program fees vary upon travel distance. For more information or to schedule a performance contact Raylene Hlavaty here.
September 4th 1893, Dunkeld, Scotland
"My dear Noel, I don't know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were – Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter. They lived with their mother in a sand bank under the root of a big fir tree. 'Now, my dears,' said old Mrs Bunny 'you may go into the field or down the lane, but don't go into Mr McGregor's garden.' Flopsy, Mopsy & Cottontail, who were good little rabbits went down the lane to gather blackberries, but Peter, who was very naughty ran straight away to Mr McGregor's garden and squeezed underneath the gate...."
So begins a letter to Noel Moore the son of Beatrix's last governess Annie Carter and soon to be Mrs. Edwin Moore. She would be the one to suggest making the letters sent to her children into little books.
Beatrix lived most of her young life in London, but she and Bertram, her younger brother, loved the long summer holidays their family spent in Scotland. They did not see very many other children, but read and explored the natural world by collecting butterflies, identifying birds and looking for fossils. They had a long list of pets including a spaniel, tortoise, bat, ring-snake, lizards, birds, newts, mice and rabbits.
Beatrix especially loved to draw and paint and her pets became favorite models. Bertram encouraged her to share her talent and she sold six designs to a publisher when she was 23. With her love for the natural world, fungi also became favorite subjects for painting. She sought out Charles Macintosh a Scottish postman and expert in fungi. He admired her drawings and helped her to identify them. Beatrix hoped to visit the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and their research library, but one must have a research ticket obtained by recommendation of a recognized scientist. Fortunately, her Uncle Harry, known to the world as Sir Henry Roscoe, chemist and former member of parliament, was just such a person. Carefully, Beatrix experimented with fungus spore and made some discoveries that her uncle helped her to put into writing. Her paper “On the Germination of the Spores of Agaricineae” was read at the Linnean Society in 1897 and well received, but would require more work before it could be printed. Her theories were considered controversial at Kew partly because of her lack of formal training and so she began to look for other ways to use her talents.
It was on a visit to the home of her former governess Annie Moore in January 1900 that she discovered how popular her story letters had been. The children had carefully preserved her letters and enjoyed reading them over again. Annie thought some of the stories might be made into little books and Beatrix decided to try getting Peter Rabbit published. Unfortunately, the manuscript with black and white outline drawings was rejected by at least six publishers. Undeterred, Beatrix withdrew her money from the bank and had an edition of 250 copies printed. She successfully sold these copies to friends and family and showed one to F. Warne and Co. Warnes liked the story, but insisted that the illustrations be in color. Beatrix had not colored her edition because of the expense of good color printing and the uninteresting colors of the subjects – brown and green. Working closely with Norman Warne, the youngest brother of the firm, Beatrix prepared the color illustrations and The Tale of Peter Rabbit was published in the Autumn of 1902.
After the success of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix began working on two new books for 1903. She had heard a charming story about a tailor in Gloucester who had been commissioned to make a suit for the new mayor. The tailor cut out the pieces and went home for the weekend. On Monday the tailor returned to find the suit finished, but with one buttonhole unfinished and a note that explained, “no more twist.” Imagining how the suit might have been finished, Beatrix wrote a Christmas story for Freda Moore. The second book was inspired by a trip to Keswick in the Lake District. Observing the great number of squirrels gathering nuts, Beatrix noticed one comical little squirrel with a short tail when he chattered and threw down acorns onto her head. Soon Nora Moore received a letter with the story of Nutkin and how he lost his tail.
Beatrix and Norman worked well together. Norman made thoughtful suggestions for improving her work and provided her with photos or other helpful items for her illustrations. They often communicated by sending drawings, text and proofs back and forth in the mail. While working on the two new books for 1905, Beatrix received a letter asking for her hand in marriage. It was just three days before her 39th birthday. She accepted at once, but the approval of her parents was another matter. The Potters had higher aspirations for their daughter than to marry a young man “in trade.” There would be no public announcement, but both families knew and she would be called Auntie Bee by Norman's nieces.
Norman had been ill for a few days when the Potters left on their usual summer holiday. A few weeks later, Beatrix received a letter from the Warnes that Norman was very ill and then a telegram the next day asking her to return to London. Norman was already gone by the time she received the telegram. It was exactly one month since his proposal. Her grief was not shared at home and so she gladly accepted an invitation to stay a while with the Warnes.
Hoping to make a fresh beginning, Beatrix purchased a small farm in Near Sawrey in the Lake District. She had been there on holiday with her parents one summer and had been very sorry to leave. Hill Top Farm had 34 acres, a farmhouse, outbuildings and enclosures. The tenant, John Cannon and his family, agreed to stay to manage the farm and care for the animals. She did not have long to spend at her new farm. Family responsibilities still demanded most of her time since an unmarried daughter was expected to help manage the household. Even so, Hill Top became a new source of inspiration for her stories.
The little books were selling well and with their success she had sufficient income to make improvements to Hill Top, increase her stock of Herdwick sheep and cattle and expand her land holdings. To help with her purchase of neighboring farms, she consulted a local solicitor from Hawkshead by the name of William Heelis. When she was away, he kept her informed of news in the village and watched for adjoining land coming up for sale. Gradually, Beatrix and William became very much attached sharing a love for the Lake District and its way of life. In June 1912, William proposed to Beatrix. She accepted at once, but it would take more than a year before Beatrix would have the courage to withstand her parents' expected disapproval. They were married October 15, 1913—Beartrix was 47 and William 42. From that time Beatrix lived full time in Sawrey with her husband at Castle Farm. Most of her time was now spent caring for her various farms and with her failing eyesight, she published only a few additional books.
Beatrix could now give herself wholeheartedly to the countryside. Years earlier on a summer holiday in the Lake District, the Potters had become acquainted with Cannon Harwicke Rawnsley one of the founders of the National Trust. Diligently supporting the cause of preservation in the Lake District, she bought, restored and managed local farms that she intended to donate to the Trust after her death. The Herdwicke sheep was an important part of the preservation efforts and Beatrix became deeply involved in their well-being. She became the first women to be elected president of the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Assoc., but died on December 22, 1943 before she could take office.
Beatrix would would donate over 4000 acres to the National Trust to preserve the beauty and history of the Lake District. Hill Top Farm has been preserved as she left it.
"My dear Noel, I don't know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were – Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter. They lived with their mother in a sand bank under the root of a big fir tree. 'Now, my dears,' said old Mrs Bunny 'you may go into the field or down the lane, but don't go into Mr McGregor's garden.' Flopsy, Mopsy & Cottontail, who were good little rabbits went down the lane to gather blackberries, but Peter, who was very naughty ran straight away to Mr McGregor's garden and squeezed underneath the gate...."
So begins a letter to Noel Moore the son of Beatrix's last governess Annie Carter and soon to be Mrs. Edwin Moore. She would be the one to suggest making the letters sent to her children into little books.
Beatrix lived most of her young life in London, but she and Bertram, her younger brother, loved the long summer holidays their family spent in Scotland. They did not see very many other children, but read and explored the natural world by collecting butterflies, identifying birds and looking for fossils. They had a long list of pets including a spaniel, tortoise, bat, ring-snake, lizards, birds, newts, mice and rabbits.
Beatrix especially loved to draw and paint and her pets became favorite models. Bertram encouraged her to share her talent and she sold six designs to a publisher when she was 23. With her love for the natural world, fungi also became favorite subjects for painting. She sought out Charles Macintosh a Scottish postman and expert in fungi. He admired her drawings and helped her to identify them. Beatrix hoped to visit the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and their research library, but one must have a research ticket obtained by recommendation of a recognized scientist. Fortunately, her Uncle Harry, known to the world as Sir Henry Roscoe, chemist and former member of parliament, was just such a person. Carefully, Beatrix experimented with fungus spore and made some discoveries that her uncle helped her to put into writing. Her paper “On the Germination of the Spores of Agaricineae” was read at the Linnean Society in 1897 and well received, but would require more work before it could be printed. Her theories were considered controversial at Kew partly because of her lack of formal training and so she began to look for other ways to use her talents.
It was on a visit to the home of her former governess Annie Moore in January 1900 that she discovered how popular her story letters had been. The children had carefully preserved her letters and enjoyed reading them over again. Annie thought some of the stories might be made into little books and Beatrix decided to try getting Peter Rabbit published. Unfortunately, the manuscript with black and white outline drawings was rejected by at least six publishers. Undeterred, Beatrix withdrew her money from the bank and had an edition of 250 copies printed. She successfully sold these copies to friends and family and showed one to F. Warne and Co. Warnes liked the story, but insisted that the illustrations be in color. Beatrix had not colored her edition because of the expense of good color printing and the uninteresting colors of the subjects – brown and green. Working closely with Norman Warne, the youngest brother of the firm, Beatrix prepared the color illustrations and The Tale of Peter Rabbit was published in the Autumn of 1902.
After the success of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix began working on two new books for 1903. She had heard a charming story about a tailor in Gloucester who had been commissioned to make a suit for the new mayor. The tailor cut out the pieces and went home for the weekend. On Monday the tailor returned to find the suit finished, but with one buttonhole unfinished and a note that explained, “no more twist.” Imagining how the suit might have been finished, Beatrix wrote a Christmas story for Freda Moore. The second book was inspired by a trip to Keswick in the Lake District. Observing the great number of squirrels gathering nuts, Beatrix noticed one comical little squirrel with a short tail when he chattered and threw down acorns onto her head. Soon Nora Moore received a letter with the story of Nutkin and how he lost his tail.
Beatrix and Norman worked well together. Norman made thoughtful suggestions for improving her work and provided her with photos or other helpful items for her illustrations. They often communicated by sending drawings, text and proofs back and forth in the mail. While working on the two new books for 1905, Beatrix received a letter asking for her hand in marriage. It was just three days before her 39th birthday. She accepted at once, but the approval of her parents was another matter. The Potters had higher aspirations for their daughter than to marry a young man “in trade.” There would be no public announcement, but both families knew and she would be called Auntie Bee by Norman's nieces.
Norman had been ill for a few days when the Potters left on their usual summer holiday. A few weeks later, Beatrix received a letter from the Warnes that Norman was very ill and then a telegram the next day asking her to return to London. Norman was already gone by the time she received the telegram. It was exactly one month since his proposal. Her grief was not shared at home and so she gladly accepted an invitation to stay a while with the Warnes.
Hoping to make a fresh beginning, Beatrix purchased a small farm in Near Sawrey in the Lake District. She had been there on holiday with her parents one summer and had been very sorry to leave. Hill Top Farm had 34 acres, a farmhouse, outbuildings and enclosures. The tenant, John Cannon and his family, agreed to stay to manage the farm and care for the animals. She did not have long to spend at her new farm. Family responsibilities still demanded most of her time since an unmarried daughter was expected to help manage the household. Even so, Hill Top became a new source of inspiration for her stories.
The little books were selling well and with their success she had sufficient income to make improvements to Hill Top, increase her stock of Herdwick sheep and cattle and expand her land holdings. To help with her purchase of neighboring farms, she consulted a local solicitor from Hawkshead by the name of William Heelis. When she was away, he kept her informed of news in the village and watched for adjoining land coming up for sale. Gradually, Beatrix and William became very much attached sharing a love for the Lake District and its way of life. In June 1912, William proposed to Beatrix. She accepted at once, but it would take more than a year before Beatrix would have the courage to withstand her parents' expected disapproval. They were married October 15, 1913—Beartrix was 47 and William 42. From that time Beatrix lived full time in Sawrey with her husband at Castle Farm. Most of her time was now spent caring for her various farms and with her failing eyesight, she published only a few additional books.
Beatrix could now give herself wholeheartedly to the countryside. Years earlier on a summer holiday in the Lake District, the Potters had become acquainted with Cannon Harwicke Rawnsley one of the founders of the National Trust. Diligently supporting the cause of preservation in the Lake District, she bought, restored and managed local farms that she intended to donate to the Trust after her death. The Herdwicke sheep was an important part of the preservation efforts and Beatrix became deeply involved in their well-being. She became the first women to be elected president of the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Assoc., but died on December 22, 1943 before she could take office.
Beatrix would would donate over 4000 acres to the National Trust to preserve the beauty and history of the Lake District. Hill Top Farm has been preserved as she left it.
