Beatrix's Life
-
1866
Birth
Helen Beatrix Potter is born at 2 Bolton Gardens, Kensington, London, on 28th July.
-
1872
First governess
Miss Florrie Hammond is employed as Beatrix’s first governess.
-
1872
Brother born
Beatrix’s brother, Walter Bertram is born on 14th March.
-
1877
Scotland
The Potters lease Dalguise House in Perthshire for the summer, the first of Beatrix’s holidays in Scotland.
-
1878
Art lessons
Miss Cameron is employed to give Beatrix art lessons.
-
1880
Art award
Beatrix is awarded an Art Student’s Certificate for model drawing and freehand.
-
1882
Lake District
Wray Castle, near Windermere, Beatrix’s first visit to the Lake District.
-
1883
New governess
A new governess is appointed for Beatrix, Miss Annie Carter.
-
1885
Illness
Beatrix is seriously ill with rheumatic fever and has her waist-length hair cut short.
-
1885
End of education
Beatrix’s education is considered finished.
-
1890
First rabbit
Beatrix buys a rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer, from a pet shop.
-
1892
Art sale
Beatrix sells six watercolour paintings.
-
1892
Scotland
Beatrix meets the famous Perthshire naturalist, Charles McIntosh.
-
1893
Peter
Following the death of Benjamin Bouncer, Beatrix buys a new rabbit, Peter.
-
1893
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix sends a picture letter which tells the tale of Peter Rabbit for the first time.
-
1894
A Frog he would a-fishing go
Beatrix sells a sequence of pictures called “A Frog he would a-fishing go”.
-
1895
Commission
Beatrix is commissioned to prepare 12 lithographed plates of insects.
-
1896
Royal Botanic Gardens
Beatrix’s uncle, assists her in getting a ticket to study fungus.
-
1897
Linnean Society
Beatrix Potter’s scientific paper is presented to the Linnean Society.
-
1901
Published
Beatrix Potter publishes a privately-printed edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit illustrated in black and white.
-
1902
Commercial edition
The Tale of Peter Rabbit is first published by Frederick Warne & Co.
-
1902
Brother marries
Beatrix’s brother marries Mary Scott in Edinburgh.
-
1902
The Tailor of Gloucester
Beatrix Potter’s privately-printed edition is published.
-
1903
Published
The Tailor of Gloucester and The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin are published
-
1903
Peter Rabbit doll
Beatrix makes a Peter Rabbit doll.
-
1904
Published
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny and The Tale of Two Bad Mice are published.
-
1905
Proposal
Norman Warne proposes to Beatrix in July.
-
1905
Norman Warne
Norman Warne dies of leukemia on 25th August.
-
1905
Published
The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and The Pie and The Patty-Pan.
-
1905
Hill Top Farm
Beatrix Potter buys Hill Top Farm.
-
1906
Published
The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, The Story of A Fierce Bad Rabbit and The Story of Miss Moppet.
-
1907
The Tale of Tom Kitten
The Tale of Tom Kitten is published.
-
1908
Published
The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck and The Roly-Poly Pudding.
-
1909
Castle Cottage Farm
Beatrix Potter buys Castle Cottage Farm.
-
1909
Published
The Tale of The Flopsy Bunnies and The Tale of Ginger and Pickles are published.
-
1910
Jemima Puddle-duck doll
Beatrix registers a Jemima Puddle-duck doll at the Patent Office.
-
1910
Published
The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse is published.
-
1911
Published
The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes is published.
-
1911
Merchandise
A new merchandising venture, Peter Rabbit’s Painting Book, is published.
-
1912
Protest
Beatrix Potter leads a successful protest against a hydroplane factory.
-
1912
Published
The Tale of Mr. Tod is published.
-
1913
Published
The Tale of Pigling Bland is published.
-
1913
Marriage
Beatrix Potter marries William Heelis, in Kensington, London.
-
1913
Castle Cottage Farm
Beatrix and William move into Castle Cottage.
-
1914
Father dies
Beatrix Potter’s father, Rupert, dies on 8th May, aged 81.
-
1917
Bankruptcy
Frederick Warne & Co. faces bankruptcy.
-
1917
Published
Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes and Tom Kitten’s Painting Book are published.
-
1918
Brother dies
Beatrix Potter’s brother, Bertram, dies aged 46.
-
1918
Published
The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse is published.
-
1919
Lindeth How
Beatrix Potter buys Lindeth How, for her widowed mother, Helen.
-
1919
Nursing Trust
Beatrix Potter helps to sets up a Nursing Trust.
-
1921
Pierre Lapin
Pierre Lapin (Peter Rabbit) and Jeannot Lapin (Benjamin Bunny) are published.
-
1921
Published in braille
The first Peter Rabbit books are published in braille.
-
1922
Published
Cecily Parsley’s Nursery Rhymes is published by Frederick Warne & Co.
-
1924
Troutbeck Park Farm
Beatrix Potter buys the 2,000-acre Troutbeck Park Farm.
-
1925
Painting book
Jemima Puddle-Duck’s Painting Book is published.
-
1927
Henry P. Coolidge
Thirteen-year-old Henry P. Coolidge from Boston visits Beatrix Potter at Hill Top.
-
1928
Saving Cockshott Point
Campaigns to save the picturesque Cockshott Point at Windermere.
-
1928
Almanac
Peter Rabbit’s Almanac for 1929 is published.
-
1929
Published
The Fairy Caravan is published in Philadelphia.
-
1929
Monk Coniston Estate
Beatrix buys the 4,000-acre Monk Coniston Estate.
-
1930
Wins silver!
Beatrix wins the silver challenge cup for the best Herdwick ewe.
-
1932
Mother dies
Beatrix Potter’s mother, Helen, dies on 20th December, aged 93.
-
1941
Wartime
An entire edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit is lost in a wartime bombing raid in London.
-
1943
President
Beatrix is elected President of Herdwick Sheepbreeders’ Association.
-
1943
Beatrix dies
Beatrix Potter dies at Castle Cottage, Sawrey on 22nd December, aged 77.
-
1945
Husband dies
William Heelis, Beatrix’s husband, dies at Sawrey on 4th August, aged 73.
-
1946
Hill Top Farm
Hill Top opened to the public by the National Trust.
-
1958
Code broken
Leslie Linder, breaks the code of Beatrix Potter’s Journal.
-
1966
Journal published
The Journal of Beatrix Potter, a complete transcription, is published.
-
1967
Paintings
Beatrix Potter’s fungus paintings used to illustrate Dr. W P K Findlay's Wayside and Woodland Fungi.
-
1971
Ballet film
Tales of Beatrix Potter, featuring Royal Ballet dancers and choreographed by Frederick Ashton, is screened.
-
1980
Beatrix Potter Society
Founded to promote the study and appreciation of her life and works.
-
1987
New editions
Frederick Warne & Co. photograph Beatrix Potter’s artwork for all 23 Tales.
-
1988
Beatrix Potter Gallery
Gallery dedicated to Beatrix Potter’s original art, is opened in Hawkshead.
-
1991
The World of Beatrix Potter™
Themed attraction opens in Bowness-on-Windermere.
-
1992
Animated TV series
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends, begins on BBC TV.
-
2002
Centenary year
“Reoriginated” new editions of all 23 Tales, published.
