About
Helen Beatrix Potter was born in London in 1866. Self-taught, she self-published 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' in 1901, then was published by Frederick Warne in 1902. She wrote and illustrated 23 children's tales, including 'Jemima Puddle-Duck' and 'The Flopsy Bunnies', which achieved worldwide success. A passionate scientist, she studied fungi but was barred from presenting her work to the Linnean Society because of her sex. A pioneer of merchandising, she patented a Peter Rabbit doll in 1903. In 1905, she bought Hill Top Farm in the Lake District, where she became a Herdwick sheep breeder. She married William Heelis in 1913. At her death in 1943, she left her land to the National Trust, contributing to the creation of the national park.
* 1866-07-28 — † 1943-12-22
Major works
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902)children's tale
- The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (1903)children's tale
- The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck (1908)children's tale
- The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies (1909)children's tale
Key milestones
- 1901Self-published 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' in an edition of 250 copies.
- 1903Patented a Peter Rabbit doll, creating the first licensed fictional character.
- 1943Bequeathed over 4,000 acres and 16 farms to the National Trust, the largest gift at the time.
Themes
Nature and animalsRural lifeIndependence and determinationConservation
Sources: nationaltrust.org.uk · vam.ac.uk · britishmuseum.org
