Monthly Spotlight

February 2007

Beatrix Potter

“My children’s stories will one day be as famous and as much read as Hans Christian Andersen’s” Beatrix Potter once said and she has been proved correct. As one of most popular children’s authors of all time her works are very collectable. Both adults and children alike continue to be enchanted and inspired by her books. Her clever use of ironic humour and language shows not only an understanding of storytelling but also the ability to grab a child’s imagination.

Beatrix Potter was born on the 28^th July 1866 to an upper middle class family. Her childhood was rather lonely as her mother was very distant. As Beatrix did not attend school, she was under the care of a string of governesses and had no companions her own age. The relationship she had with her father was more rewarding; he encouraged her artistic talent with trips to art galleries. Perhaps the happiest aspect of Beatrix’s childhood was the time she spent with her pets. Over the years the Potter household had a huge menagerie, which Beatrix sketched and wrote about in her diary.

It was on a family holiday in 1893 that these sketches and notations were put together in a letter and brought Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter to life. However Beatrix would not think about producing a book for another seven years and when she did the tale was rejected by at least six publishers. By 1901 she had decided to print two hundred and fifty copies privately. Many were given by Beatrix to friends and family as Christmas presents. The remainder were put on sale and due to their instant popularity had sold within weeks. The success of the story continued and by October 1902 Warne’s publishers were had advance orders exceeding their print run of over eight thousand copies. Beatrix herself commented that there was “an appalling quantity of Peter” in circulation.

Potter began writing more tales and a happy working relationship with Norman Warne of Warne’s developed. Her new tales proved to be as successful as “Peter Rabbit” and the slogan “A new Potter for Christmas.” became a familiar sight in bookshops. In 1905 Norman Warne proposed and was accepted by Beatrix. However her family was most disapproving and Beatrix agreed to keep the engagement secret. Tragically Norman died from leukaemia just weeks later.

Thank to the success of her tales Beatrix had been able to purchase Hill Top Farm in Sawrey and it was here that she sought refuge from London, her parents and memories of Norman. Beatrix had always been a very private person and she became increasingly interested in her animals and farming. She used both the village and her animals as settings and characters for her tales. Her books were still immensely popular and she became Warne’s most important author.

Such popularity led to the production of spin-offs and merchandise, but Beatrix was astute and ensured nothing was produced without her consent. She was one of the first people to see her books as products and to market them accordingly with the financial advice of William Heelis, her solicitor. The pair eventually married in 1913 when Beatrix was forty seven years old.

Between 1913 and 1917 Potter did not produce any more tales. Her writing pace had slowed due to her new life as a married woman, her increasingly dependent elderly parents, and the outbreak of the First World War. However 1917 and 1918 she wrote three new titles. The book review of “The Tale of Johnny Town Mouse” stated that “Miss Potter need not worry about rivals. She has none”, which shows how her popularity remained constant despite her reduced literary output. Throughout the 1920s, the increasing popularity of her tales abroad encouraged her to continue writing (despite the fact that she was becoming “tired” of it) and she produced “Cecily Parsley’s Nursery Rhymes” in 1922.

The last years of Beatrix’s life were productive: She was settled in her marriage and increasingly involved in the running of her farm. Although her days of prolific storytelling were over her books continued to sell in their thousands. Her success was still so widespread in the 1930s that Disney offered to produce a “Peter Rabbit” film – an offer that Beatrix turned down.

In 1943 Beatrix Potter died aged seventy seven. Merchandise of her tales is still widespread but nothing can replace the original books with their unique combination of charm, humour and integrity, which makes them undoubted classics of children’s literature.

St. Mary’s Books are pleased to stock a number of titles by Beatrix Potter including a 1^st UK Edition of The Roly-Poly Pudding published in 1908. Please click on the link below to view our current stock of Beatrix Potter works.

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John Buchan