Beatrix Potter

Birth of Beatrix Potter

Jul 28, 1866

Was born in 2 Bolton Gardens, South Kensington, London, first child of Helen and Rupert Potter.

Birth of Bertram Potter.

Mar 14, 1872

Walter Bertram Potter, Beatrix's brother, born at 2 Bolton Gardens.

Art Student's Certificate

Apr 22, 1880

Science and Art Department, South Kensington Museum, awarded to Helen Beatrix Potter for model drawing and freehand. 'Excellent' in both.

Favorite governess

Apr 18, 1883

Miss Annie Carter, aged nineteen, appointed as new governess and German teacher for sixteen-year-old Beatrix.

First rabbit

Apr 4, 1885

Annie Carter leaves the Potter household to marry Edwin Moore. Beatrix acquires her first rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer.

Illness

Apr 2, 1887

Beatrix has serious rheumatic fever affecting her heart that lasted over a month.

First drawings

May 14, 1890

Beatrix sells first drawings to Hildesheimer & Faulkner, London. Used as greetings cards and as illustrations to a book of rhymes, A Happy Pair by Frederic E. Weatherly.

First stories from the letters

Sep 4, 1893

From Eastwood, Dunkeld, Beatrix sends five-year-old Noel Moore a story about her pet rabbit, Peter. The next day Beatrix sends four-year-old Eric Moore a picture letter about a 'frog called Mr. Jeremy Fisher'.

Peter Rabbit dies.

Jan 26, 1901

Beatrix later wrote, 'Whatever the limitations of his intellect or outward shortcomings of his fur, and his ears and toes, his disposition was uniformly amiable and his temper unfailingly sweet. An affectionate companion and a quiet friend.'

The Tale of Peter Rabbit was first published

Oct 2, 1902

Frederick Warne publish 8,000 copies of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, shortened and illustrated in full colour throughout.

Game of Peter Rabbit

Dec 7, 1904

Beatrix sends Warne the plan and rules for a game she has devised called The Game of Peter Rabbit.

Buys land

May 2, 1907

Beatrix visits Hill Top Farm whenever she can get away from London. At the farm she now has cows, ducks, hens and pigs, as well as sheep.

Beatrix Potter marries

Oct 15, 1913

Beatrix Potter and William Heelis marry at St Mary Abbots, Kensington, London. Choose Castle Cottage as home, keeping Hill Top as a place for Beatrix to work.

WW1

Aug 4, 1914

Britain declares war on Germany. Beatrix manages the farms, feeding the calves, pigs and poultry.

Buys more land

Jan 31, 1930

Sixty-three-year-old Beatrix buys 5,000-acre Monk Coniston Estate on condition that National Trust will take over half when money raised.

Near death

Mar 30, 1939

In hospital again, Beatrix dictates her Will and asks close friends to look after her husband if she doesn't return back home..

Death

Dec 22, 1943

Seventy-seven-year-old Beatrix Potter Heelis dies of pheumonia and heart disease in the night at Castle Cottage, her husband by her side. Cremated in Blackpool, Beatrix's ashes are scattered by her shepherd and farm manager, Tom Storey, on her land in Near Sawrey.