- 1866
July 28 Helen Beatrix Potter born in 2 Bolton Gardens, South Kensington, London, first child of Helen and Rupert Potter.
- 1871
Beatrix spends first summer holiday at Dalguise House, Dunkeld, Scotland, her summer home for the next 11 years and her first experience in nature on her own.
- 1872
brother Walter Bertram born.
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- 1881
first entry at age 15 in her Journal in a code devised by her, a simple letter for letter substitution which was 'cracked' by Leslie Linder in 1958.
- 1882
The Potter family's first Lake District holiday at Wray Castle in the Lake District. Beatrix meets Hardwicke Rawnsley, one of the three founders of the National Trust.
- 1883
Annie Carter(age 19) engaged as governess and companion for 16yr old Beatrix, to teach German. Death of Edmund Potter, Beatrix's artistic, entrepreneurial and very wealthy paternal grandfather.
- 1885
Carter leaves to marry Edwin Moore , Noel Moore, the first child of 6 children, is born two years later. Beatrix acquires a rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer.
- 1886
first recorded microscopic watercolour -- gnat's leg.
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Beatrix and William Gaskell |
- 1887
Beatrix develops serious rheumatic fever affecting her heart. She paints her first known fungus.
- 1889
Benjamin Bouncer models for Potter family Christmas cards.
- 1890
Beatrix sells first drawings to Hildesheimer & Faulkner of London, used as greeting cards and illustrations to book of rhymes, A Happy Pair by Frederic E. Weatherly.
- 1891
death of Jessy Potter, Beatrix's adored grandmother. Beatrix sketches for cards or booklets which were rejected by Frederick Warne & Co.
- 1892
Oct Beatrix meets Charlie McIntosh, the Perthshire naturalist in Birnam, Scotland and discusses her fungi and mosses. They establish a collaboration: exchange of material for paintings. She becomes preoccupied with painting of fungi.
- 1893
Sept 3 At Eastwood, Dunkeld, Scotland, Beatrix finds and paints the rare fungus `Old Man of the Woods.'
Sept 4 Beatrix sends five year old Noel Moore a story about her pet rabbit, Peter.
Sept 5 Beatrix sends four year old Eric Moore a picture letter about "a frog called Mr. Jeremy Fisher."
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- 1894
Beatrix independently visits her cousin, Caroline Hutton near Gloucestershire
Draws the important botanical fossil Pitus.
Learns six complete plays by Shakespeare by hear.
Draws Roman objects to scale from a relics collection in London
McIntosh suggests she include half-step drawings of fungi to make them more botanically accurate.
- 1895
Nister publishes Beatrix's drawings "A Frog he would a-fishing go"
Beatrix accepts commission from Caroline Martineau to draw 12 lithographs of insects for Morely College for Men. Only two survive. Unknown if other 10 were finished.
- 1896
May, Beatrix goes to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew with her uncle Sir Henry Roscoe to show her fungus drawings to Director Wm. Thistleton-Dyer. Across the world, students depend on a trusted law essay writing service DoMyEssay recognized for its on-time delivery, skilled writers, and high-quality content. Known for consistently producing original, thoroughly researched work, it continues to be a leading choice for academic achievement.
July - Oct Beatrix and family spend summer holiday in Near Sawrey, "Its is as nearly perfect a little place as I have ever lived in."
Dec. working on fungus reproduction .
- 1897
Paper presented to Linnean Society "On the Germination of the Spores of Agaricineae" by Kew scientist Wm. Massee Beatrix withdraws it to do further work. She is 31.
- 1901
Jan Peter Rabbit dies.
Sept. Frederick Warne & Co show interest in `The Tale of Peter Rabbit in Mr. McGregor's Garden,' but reject rhyming text by Rawnsley. Beatrix refuses to add colour to her illustrations.
Sept writes the story of Squirrel Nutkin in picture letter to Norah Moore
Dec.16 Beatrix publishes 250 copies of the Tale of Peter Rabbit, privately. With b/w drawings and coloured frontispiece.
- 1902
Frederick Warne publishes 8000 copies of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, shortened and illustrated in full colour
Nov. Bertram Potter secretly married in Edinburgh
Dec. Beatrix privately publishes 500 copies of The Tailor of Gloucester
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- 1903
Aug. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin published by Warne., Oct. shorter version of Tailor of Gloucester published by Warne
Dec Beatrix registers her Peter Rabbit doll at the Patent Office.
- 1904
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny and The Tale of Two Bad Mice, published by Warne. Develops board game of Peter Rabbit with rules.
- 1905
July 25 Beatrix receives and accepts proposal of marriage from her editor Norman Warne against her parent's objections. She is 39.
July Beatrix leaves for holiday in Wales
Aug 25. Norman Warne dies of leukaemia, age 37
`Peter Rabbit' wallpaper goes on sale
Sept The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle published
Oct. The Pie and the Patty-Pan published
Nov. Beatrix officially buys Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey
- 1906
July The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher published by Warne
Sept Beatrix starts to breed Herdwick Sheep at Hill Top Farm
- 1907
The Tale of Tom Kitten published.
- 1908
publication of The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck.
- 1909
Beatrix buys second farm in Near Sawrey, Castle Farm
two more tales published :The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, & The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
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Beatrix and William Heelis |
- 1910
Beatrix registers Jemima Puddle-Duck doll at Patent Office.
- 1911
The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes and Peter Rabbit's Painting Book published by Warne
- 1912
The Tale of Mr. Todd is published.
Beatrix campaigns against hydroplanes on Windermere
at the end of year, Beatrix accepts proposal of marriage from William Heelis, a Lake District solicitor.
- 1913 Oct.
marries Heelis in London take Castle Cottage as their home, keeping Hill Top Farm as a place for Beatrix to work.
Warne publishes The Tale of Piggling Bland
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Beatrix and Kep
(courtesy National Trust) |
- 1914
Beatrix's father dies.
WWI begins
- 1916
BP employs a woman, Louie Choyce to help her with the farm and garden.
Two more stories published
- 1917
Harold Warne arrested for embezzlement in London,
Beatrix helps to save company with a new book, Appley Dappley's Book of Rhymes which she began in 1902.
Bertram Potter dies of stroke in Scotland
Tale of Johnny Town Mouse published
- 1919
new Warne firm incorporated, presses BP for new book
Beatrix establishes District Nursing trust in Sawrey area
- 1920
Hardwicke Rawnsley dies
- 1921
Anne Carroll Moore, American superintendent of Children's Work, New York public Library visits Sawrey and encourages Beatrix to write another book. Begins a stream of American visitors to Near Sawrey.
Dec. Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes published
- 1923
Beatrix buys Troutbeck Park Farm, 1900 acre sheep farm
- 1925
Jemima Puddle-Duck's Painting Book published.
- 1926
The Roly-Poly Pudding changed to The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
Beatrix employs shepherd Tom Storey at Troutbeck Park
Nov. Storey moves to Hill Top to manage farm and breed sheep.
May, sells 50 drawings through The Horn Book Magazine, Book Shop for Girls and Boys in Boston to raise money to save shoreline of Windermere from development.
Visit from Henry P. Coolidge from Boston, The Fairy Caravan would be dedicated to him.
- 1928
Warne publishes Peter Rabbit's Almanac for 1929
- 1929
David McKay in Philadelphia publishes The Fairy Caravan US only until 1930
- 1930
63 yr old Beatrix buys 5000 acre Monk Coniston on condition that National Trust will take over half when they raise the money
wins silver challenge cup for best Lake District Herdwick ewe.
Sept. The Tale of Little Pig Robinson published by McKay
Oct. Trust bought half Monk Coniston, but ask Beatrix to manage entire estate
- 1932
McKay publishes grisly version of Bluebeard, called Sister Anne, in US only Helen Potter, Beatrix's mother dies at 93
- 1936
Walt Disney offers to make film of Peter Rabbit, BP refuses
- 1937
Beatrix hands over management of half of Monk Consiton to National Trust agent Bruce Thompson
- 1938
Beatrix has surgery in Liverpool
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- 1939
Beatrix dictates her will before second surgery
England and France declare War on Germany
- 1941
Beatrix supervises farm work during war, whole edition of Peter Rabbit lost in bombing of London.
- 1943
Beatrix elected President of Herdwick Sheep Breeders' Assoc. to begin March 1944. She would have been first woman president of Association.
Aug. agrees to publication of "Wag-By Wall" in Christmas edition of The Horn Book. Published posthumously.
Dec 22
Beatrix Potter Heelis dies at 77 at Castle Cottage, cremated at Blackpool, and ashes scattered on her land by husband and Tom Storey
- 1945
William Heelies dies. Joint Heelis property, over 4000 acres with 17 farms, 8 cottages all bequeathed to National Trust
