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When I was a little girl, I watched the born Margaret Moorhead. He was a bank being a woman writer might somehow movie Mary Poppins. is British clerk, and she was from a well-to-do fam- sway the readers, so incognito was the idea. who never explained anything and had ily. ey married, and nine months later magical ways of getting things done be - Helen ‘Lyndy’ Goff was born on 9th The Inspiration came a role model for me. I adored her air August 1899. When her father was pro- Travers never gave a straight answer about of mystery, laughed at her quick wit and moted in 1905, the family moved to the origins of Mary Poppins. She once said longed to be her. In 2013, a year after earn - Allora, in south-east Queensland. She had it was a name she had seen written in a book. Another time, she described a vision ing my City of London guiding qualifica - two younger sisters, Barbara and Moira. she had at twilight that gave her the idea. tion, I started doing a walking tour Her alcoholic father died in 1907, so Nevertheless, she had told her mentor and dedicated to this fantastic character and mother and daughters moved in with Aunt have met hundreds of Mary Poppins fans friend George William Russell (known as Ellie in Bowral, New South Wales. She at- along the way. As we are all excited about ‘Æ’) about an idea for a story about a tended school and longed to be an actress. the long-awaited sequel Mary Poppins white witch, and he encouraged her to ex- Aunt Ellie and her mother didn’t approve Returns to hit the cinemas in December plore this idea. e book was written in of this, but allowed her to be part of a trav- 2018, we are taking the opportunity to give 1933 when she was living in a thatched- elling Shakespeare company. She adopted you an ‘everything you need to know’ roof cottage in Mayfield, just near guide to this London icon. the name Pamela Lyndon Travers by Tunbridge Wells. It came out in 1934 and choosing her first name “because she liked was a huge success. She was living in The Creator it” and her father’s first name as her new Mayfield with her friend and long-time Mary Poppins was written by Australian- surname. She wrote for local newspapers roommate Madge Burnand, the daughter born author P. L. Travers. She started life as under the initials P.L. Travers, in the style of a publisher. Travers never married and Helen Lyndon Goff, daughter of Deptford- of J.M. Barrie; this is the same tactic that had a few close relationships with women born Travers Robert Goff and Queensland- J.K. Rowling used. Both did this because in her life, but there is no firm evidence

Helen Goff a.k.a. , & P. L. Travers as P. L. Travers at the première a young actress

P. L. Travers

16 FOCUS The Magazine November/December 2018 www.focus-info.org Mrs Banks song about fighting for women’s right to vote is arguably one of the most powerful songs in the film. beyond diary writings that give any indi - cation as to her sexuality. Many of Mary Poppins personality traits and belongings come from Travers’ own life experiences. Her Aunt Ellie was the formidable Victorian with a sharp per - Cynthia,” he said. Ms Travers protested exist. Travers was interviewed many times sonality and little bedside manner. e and sent him a list of suitable British and said: “It’s one of those places that parrot-headed umbrella is based on the names, and the last one on the list was doesn’t show on a map.” Go read the umbrella that was used by a family maid Winifred. Jane and Michael are typical books, taking note of places and bus routes when the author was younger. e general children who find mischief and adventure that are mentioned or visited by the nanny look of Mary Poppins is based from a around every corner with a nanny at the and children. en grab some old maps of wooden spoon doll that she once owned. helm. ere are two other children in the London, dating anywhere between 1870 Her love of ballet is the source for Mary book, a set of twins, called John and and 1920. You won’t find Cherry Tree Poppins always standing in first position. Barbara. Mr Banks has told his wife he can Lane. e internet has been helpful to in- The Books afford a nice house or four children, but accurately fill in the blanks of where ere are many Mary Poppins books. In not both. So he is expectedly upset when a Cherry Tree Lane or the house might exist. fact, they are: Mary Poppins (1934); Mary fifth child, baby Annabelle, comes into the Recently, a plaque was placed on a house Poppins Comes Back (1935); Mary Poppins story. Of course, for a simplified story, on Smith Street where Travers lived in the Opens the Door (1943); Mary Poppins in John, Barbara and Annabelle are cut from late 50’s early 60’s, and the trendy website the Park (1952); Gingerbread Shop (1952), the film. Londonist claimed it was where she wrote an adapted version of the ‘Mrs. Corry’ Disney created Bert from the amalgama- the book. Tour guides often spout that she chapter from Mary Poppins ; Mr. Wigg’s tion of a few characters in the books: a told Disney this was the house of her vi- Birthday Party (1952), an adapted version street artist, a one-man band and a chim- sion for the Banks’ home but it cannot be of the ‘Laughing Gas’ chapter from Mary ney sweep. ere is always a sense that per- confirmed. She lived in Mecklenburgh Poppins ; e Magic Compass (1953), an haps there is an element of attraction Square when she first arrived to London, adapted version of the ‘Bad Tuesday’ chap - between Bert and Mary, but this was some- and as the houses there look identical to ter from Mary Poppins ; Mary Poppins From thing P. L. Travers insisted not to be true. the house on Cherry Tree Lane, it is proba- A to Z (1963); Mary Poppins in the Kitchen e verse in , in which Mary bly more likely to be imagined from her (1975); Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane sings about how Bert is such a gentleman own previous address. (1982); (1988). Look carefully at the was written by e . If ere is also a debate about where dates: Ms Travers wrote a Mary Poppins you watch Bert’s face, you can practically Cherry Tree Lane would be if it existed. book almost every decade of her adult life! see he is disappointed to remain “in the Many swear that it is in Primrose Hill, She died 23rd April 1996 and is buried in friend zone”. often citing Chalcot Crescent because of its Twickenham. It was in between the last colourful painted fronts and picturesque book and her death that she worked with The Locations curved street but this is better related to Cameron Mackintosh and Julian Fellows None of the original movie was filmed in Michael Bond’s Paddington Bear stories. on the stage production Mary Poppins the London, but on sound stages in Burbank, Others will claim it is in Chelsea or musical. She insisted they all be English, California. ey are now called e Julie Regent’s Park, and some even say and no one who previously worked on the Andrews Studios, and it is also where she Kensington Gardens. is is both the mys- film. Travers didn’t live to see the end re - filmed  e Princess Diaries. However, Ms tery and beauty of Cherry Tree Lane. Travers took inspiration from London for Because, as Travers said, it doesn’t actually sult, and the actresses who have played the lead have been English, Welsh, Australian specific places in the books. For example, if exist, we can make it up in our own minds. and even American. you take a walk on Hampstead Heath, not Because the film was made in Californian far from the station near Kenwood House, studios, you can sit on the steps of St Paul’s The Characters you will come across a street called Cathedral, but with sadness knowing that Mr George Banks is modelled on her fa - Admiral’s Walk. On that little street is a the bird lady never really sat there herself. ther, who worked in a bank. Ms Travers house that appears to look like a ship. ey Incidentally, it is not advised to feed the developed this character with great detail, have conveniently written ‘Admiral’s birds. e common London pigeon is a as we know about his own dreadful nanny, House’ in paint on the side to connect it to nuisance to say it politely. e cathedral his job, his habits and his opinions. Mrs Admiral Boom, the eccentric neighbour of employs a professional bird master with a Banks is instrumental but doesn’t have a the Banks’ who can’t seem to retire from bird of prey to visit regularly to keep the first name, which is why Walt Disney had the Navy. pigeons at bay. Signs are often posted to create one for her: “We’ll call her Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane does not warning: “do not ” near the www.focus-info.org FOCUS The Magazine 17 get it right!”. Perhaps she would be ap- palled to see so many inaccuracies in this biopic. After the screening of the film, Travers is reported to have approached Disney and taste by dropping the medicine on a cube exclaimed how the animation sequences of sugar. Richard had a tune in his head (the now much-loved penguins, farmyard that he couldn’t shake for weeks, a rabble- and horse race scenes) be omitted. His rouser that ended up becoming reply was simply, “Pamela, that ship has Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. One of the sailed”. songs that was deleted was entitled “rough the eyes of love”, a romantic bal- The Awards lad that was meant to be Mary’s signature When the film released on 27th August song. Julie Andrews felt that there should 1964, it was in the running for many be more pizzazz, so S poonful of Sugar was awards including Golden Globes for Best the replacement. One of the most memorable, and in steps. is doesn’t prevent the keenest fans Motion Picture for Musical or Comedy, 2018 one of the most recited, songs from from popping into the local Marks & Best Performance by a lead Actor in the film is Sister Suffragette. It is the key Spencer and emerging with a baguette to Musical or Comedy (for ) song for Mrs Banks, a character who was tear up and scatter on the ground. and Best Original Score. Julie Andrews won Best Performance by a lead Actress in not meant to have more than a few lines in Musical or Comedy. At the Academy the film. When received a call The Film from her agent saying, “Disney wants to If you re-watch the film, you will see the Awards in April 1965, the rival film was see you about Mary Poppins”, there was opening credits say “Walt Disney’s Mary My Fair Lady, a role that Andrews played some confusion. She thought she was Poppins”. at is a very important credit, on Broadway but was passed over for going in for the role of Mary Poppins, but and something that helps explain why Audrey Hepburn by Jack Warner. Andrews won Best Actress and accepted the Oscar Disney had her in mind for the mother. Travers disliked the film. Reading the award with a lovely comment, “I’d like to Distraught, Johns then said: “Well, it’s a books and comparing the film, you can thank the man who made this possible, musical, isn’t it?” When Mr Disney replied, see that Mary is different. She is not the Jack Warner”. In total the film was nomi- “Yes” and she asked, “Well, do I get a character that Ms Travers wrote, and for nated for 13 awards and won Best Actress, song?” Disney replied that she would, so the rest of her life she would have to ex - Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Johns left the office happy and accepted plain this important point. In the books, Best Visual Effects and Best Original Song the role. Disney then ran down the hall Mary Poppins is vain, direct and even for C him-Chim-Cher-ee. and exclaimed, “You’ve gotta write a song rude. We don’t see this in the Julie It also received Best Recording for for Mrs Banks!” e Sherman Brothers Andrews interpretation. Children and Best Original Score Written were perplexed as they hadn’t planned to e film Saving Mr Banks , released in for a Motion Picture or Television show do this, so they did some research. With 2013 and starring Emma ompson as from the Grammy Awards in April 1965. the film being set in 1910, and with the Travers and as Walt Disney, is idea that Mrs. Bank’s had to have “some- a look into how Disney convinced Travers The Music thing to do”, they made her a Suffragette. to sign over the film rights and help write e brother team of Richard and Robert Her song about fighting for women’s right the screenplay. Viewers should enjoy this Sherman are the powerhouse behind Mary to vote is arguably one of the most power - film, but note that it leaves out many in - Poppins music. eir talents have given us ful songs in the film. teresting and important facts about their memorable songs like It’s a Small World, collaboration process. However, one e Jungle Book’s I Wanna be Like You and The Sequel poignant moment is the ending credits, the entire soundtrack to C hitty Chitty Bang After the success of M ary Poppins, there when there is an old audio playing of a Bang. ey drew inspiration from their was talk of a sequel but due to Travers’ dis- conversation between Travers and the own lives. Robert’s son received an oral like of the first film, the project never hap- other writers. is is real. She insisted that vaccination at school one day and de- pened. In 2015, a sequel was reported to all of their meetings be recorded, “so they scribed how the school nurse disguised the be in the works. was cast as

18 FOCUS The Magazine November/December 2018 www.focus-info.org time we are set in the 1930’s dark and “No”, but ever since I have regretted not dreary depression era. Between February saying “YES!” and May of 2017, the cast and crews were dotted around London shooting scenes for The Tour the new movie. Miranda, famous for his After graduating as a City of London guide hit musical H amilton, tweeted a photo of in June 2012, I was ready to launch my ca- himself sitting on the steps of St Paul’s reer. While studying, I had walked down Cathedral with a sad look on his face several streets and thought “this is just like because there wasn’t a woman selling in Mary Poppins”, even though it hadn’t birdseed. been filmed here. When I realised there Twitter and Instagram were on fire spot- were Harry Potter tours, and Sherlock ting snaps of the cast in their beautiful Holmes tours and even James Bond tours, costumes, amid old cars. Tourists were I thought that I could create something even claiming to see any evidence of film- special for this female character. ing and attributed it to the long-awaited My tour is an homage to P.L. Travers, her Mary Poppins and Lin-Manuel Miranda sequel long after the production had fin- life, her character and the inspiration that as Jack, a lamplighter and apprentice to ished and the wrap party had been an- she had from her time in London. It is a Bert. e film will make reference to some nounced. I had finished a tour on the day fun and engaging tour where I weave in of the stories from the books and Mary they were filming at the Royal Exchange, other London history about parks, suffra- will remain with the Banks’ family but I was still in costume and one of the extras gettes, chimney sweeps and many behind- Jane and Michael Banks are grown up. was lost, she asked me: “Are you headed the-scenes stories told by the actors e film returns to London, only this over to set?” the honest person in me said themselves. I expect that London will be flooded with Mary Poppins-related events and activities before and after the sequel Amber Raney-Kincade is the American Tour comes out, but as my tour has been Guide in London, offering walking tours and private running since 2013, I am an original hire to those looking to explore on foot. Find out experience. more at www.AmericanTourGuideInLondon.com or follow her on Twitter @AmericanLDN will be released on 21st December.

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