Helen Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866 in London, England. She was known by her middle name to distinguish her from her mother. She had a lonely childhood being raised mainly by nurses and governesses and had no friends her own age. She loved to draw and paint and was encouraged to do so by her parents. Bertram, Beatrix's six-year younger brother, shared her interest in drawing and nature/wildlife study and provided the companionship that Beatrix had lacked until he was sent off to boarding school. Beatrix and Bertram were scientific and methodical in their approach, often dissecting dead animals to study their bone structure.
Between the ages of twelve and seventeen Beatrix took some private art lessons. Her first published illustrations were rabbits and other animals for A Happy Pair (published 1893) by F.E. Weatherley. The Tale of Peter Rabbit started as correspondence (with illustrations) with Noel Moore, the son of a former governess who was sick with scarlet fever. Several years after the correspondence Beatrix decided that the story would make a good children's book; she expanded it and submitted it for publication. After having all her submissions rejected, Beatrix had the book privately published and sold all 250 copies. In 1902, it was finally accepted for publication.
Beatrix married William Heelis in 1913. After her marriage, her focus turned from children's books to breeding Herdwick sheep. In 1930 she became the first woman president of the Herdwick Sheepbreeder's Association. The last children's book she wrote and illustrated was The Tale of Little Pig Robinson, published in 1930. She died on December 22, 1943 in Sawrey, England. There are differing accounts as to the cause of her death.
Web Sites
- Beatrix Potter
- More Than Just Bunnies: The Legacy of Beatrix Potter
- Project Gutenberg Free Beatrix Potter Ebooks
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