Rest In Play - 1940 thru 1949

Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866 and died on December 22, 1943. She was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist, but she is best known for writing the popular ch...ildren's book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Born in the Manchester area, she was educated by various governesses and was rather isolated from other children, leading her to develop a special love of landscape, flora, and fauna, which she incorporated first into her paintings, and then into her children's books. She was very interested in learning about natural science, specifically mycology, and learned from many experts, writing papers and accompanying them with scientific drawings she drew herself. Aside from science, Potter was interested in art and literature as well, specifically fairy tales and fantasy. She visited art galleries, designed, printed, and sold Christmas cards, and eventually started selling other prints she drew. Whenever she was away from home, she sent letters to her friends, often making up stories about four little rabbits named Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter, and so began her work as a storyteller. In 1900, she decided to turn her various stories about the rabbits into a book, and published it in 1901 at her own expense. But in 1902, The Tale of Peter Rabbit was published by Frederick Warne & Co. and was an immediate success. After that, she published a total of 23 other children's books, writing until after World War I, when she turned her energy to farming, sheep-breeding, and land conservation. Potter also designed a Peter Rabbit doll in 1903, and many other merchandise was created over the years, including painting books, board games, wall-paper, figurines, baby blankets, and China tea-sets. When Potter died of pneumonia and heart disease in 1943, she left almost all of her property to the National Trust. She was very passionate about conservation, and is credited with preserving much of the land that now makes up the Lake District National Park. The Tale of Petter Rabbit has long outlived its author. It continues to sell in many languages, as well as retold in songs, films, ballet, and animations. In 1982, the BBC produced The Tale of Beatrix Potter, a dramatization of her life starring Holly Aird and Penelope Wilton. In 1993, Weston Woods Studios made a film about her called Beatrix Potter:Artist, Storyteller, and Countrywoman. In 2018, Columbia Pictures release Peter Rabbit, a film based on Potter's original story. And in 2020, Sky One came out with Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse, a film based on the true story of six-year-old Roald Dahl meeting his idol, Beatrix Potter.Show more