Dear Beatrix Potter Lover, the Beatrix Potter

Late summer view, looking toward Far Sawrey from Castle Cottage Photo: Mandy Marshall

This issue comes as many are adjusting to the new routines of The Beatrix Potter back-to-school and back-to-work, while others may be off to Society enjoy a bit of travel, now that the hordes of tourists have dissipated. In the midst of a busy time, we hope "Pottering Interested in learning more About" will give an excuse to sit back for a few minutes and let about Beatrix Potter? your mind wander to Hill Top, the scenery of Cumbria, and the Consider joining the Society. delight in those little books and their magical illustrations. You not only meet people who are passionate about In the News: Beatrix Potter, her life and works, you receive the An interesting interview with Susan Bolsover, head of quarterly Journal and licensing for Penguin UK, discusses Potter merchandising. Newsletter, full of interesting Beatrix, ahead of her time in so many ways, created the first articles about Miss Potter and Peter Rabbit toy - now the oldest licensed literary character in the Society's efforts and the world. The interview covers a little of Beatrix's marketing events. efforts, the immense variety in what is available, the challenges of keeping a heritage brand current - and perhaps some hints on Go here to learn more about what may be coming for 2016. Read the interview here. the Society and to find the Membership form for ------download.

Save the Date:

2015:

Winter Gathering December 5, 2015 Sloane Club, London

December 9, 2015 to July 22, 2016, V&A, London, UK Display in Gallery 102,"The Tale of Beatrix Potter and

Yew Tree Farm Photo: Laura Jackson Ernest Aris"

There have been a number of articles about Yew Tree Farm available as a holiday let. Janet Edwards sums it up well: 2016: "Yew Tree Farm near Coniston, which once belonged to Beatrix Potter and appeared in the film Miss Potter, is being let through the agency Heart of the Lakes. March 5, 2016 - AGM and It will remain a working farm, run by farmer Jon Watson with Linder Lecture, Sloane Club, Belted Galloway cattle and Herdwick sheep. The farm was London previously run as a Bed and Breakfast, but visitors to the National Park can now rent the listed farm as a holiday let." Late June/early July 2016 - 17th Study Conference, Lake District Phillip Price provided Cumbria Life's column: September 10, 2016 - Autumn Meeting

December 3, 2016 - Winter Gathering

Quick Links Email us at: [email protected]

Read the previous issue of "Pottering About" here.

Website Visit the Society's web page: The Beatrix Potter Society

Stay Connected

Finally, Carol Saldeen and David Pepper sent links to interior photos of Yew Tree Farm in the Westmoreland Gazette and the Business Insider (in the case of the Business Insider please excuse the illustration attributed to Beatrix, clearly not one of hers!).

Pottering About Editors: ------Janet Sullivan British novelist Kate Mosse listed some of her favourite things Carolyn Schaeffer for the Daily Mail (UK). David Pepper sends photos of a portion of the article, with the segment of greatest interest. The full piece can be found here.

Does anyone know who Kate Mosse's grandmother was??

Daily Mail photos by Chris O'Donovan

------

Cumbria Life recently ran an article on Near and Far Sawrey, "So Near and yet so Far", looking at the struggle of the permanent residents to keep a thriving community. Sawrey is part of the parish of Claife, which has a total population of 298. One hundred thousand visit Hill Top every year. As with so many popular destinations, local housing prices are driven up and the permanent residents dwindle, with properties converted to holiday lets or sold to seasonal owners. Residents quoted estimate this is now the case with half the properties in the village. Despite that, they acknowledge their dependence on tourism and remain positive about keeping the community alive. Liz Hunter MacFarlane, house and collections manager at Hill Top (and Ex Officio Committee Member with the BPS for the National Trust), was interviewed for the piece and we thank Cumbria Life for generously giving us permission to use that portion of the article here. If the print proves too small to read, we include a document link to a larger version. Thanks also to Phillip Price for the scan of the article.

Written by Michaela Robinson-Tate, photography by Jenny Woolgar

Currently:

An exhibition, "Animal Tales", is on at the British Library, London, until November 1, exploring the use of animals in literature and what that use says about us. Boyd Tonkin wrote an article in the Independent about the exhibit and listed his best beasts in literature - some of which are the same as those chosen by the British Library. We don't know if the choice of mouse is his alone, but this is what he has to say:

"Mouse: Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Two Bad Mice Don't get trapped by those mice-as-helpless-victims clichés. In 1904, Miss Potter transformed her rebellious streak into the story of a pair of hooligan Mus musculi who vandalise a twee doll's house. Her words and pictures convey an almost anarchic relish in domestic mayhem and upheaval. These mice roar."

Coming Up:

October 3, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA Celebrate the works of Beatrix Potter and enjoy tea with the author, portrayed by actor Judith Helton. Dale Schafer will read The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck and several BPS Members will be on hand to help hand out activity sheets, bookmarks, Membership leaflets and Peter Rabbit photo cards. There will be a special appearance from Peter Rabbit himself (animated by Member Betsy Stevenson) and children will have an opportunity to have their photo taken with him. Following the program, author Marta McDowell will sign copies of her book, Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life.

------

October 5, 7:00 p.m., Sherman Library and Garden, Newport Beach, CA Marta McDowell will give her presentation, "Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life"

The Tales on Stage:

A number of productions of Potter tales have been appearing on stages in North America and England. Some have wound down after a summer run, but there will be a new crop for the winter season and in recognition of the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter's birth in 2016. We have a few already - if you hear of more shows, we'll be happy to include them. Send any information and links to [email protected]:

The Enchantment Theatre Company is launching a touring production in the US, "Peter Rabbit Tales". The group has a collaborative relationship with F. Warne & Co. (Division of Penguin Young Readers) and will have informative displays about Beatrix, her art, and the 150th anniversary in the theatre lobbies (this link takes you to a page with some of the Company's information about Beatrix and behind-the-scenes videos on their efforts). In this interpretation, Peter and Benjamin are grown and the stories told in flashback. A more detailed account of the show can be found here, with a list of dates and cities here. "Peter Rabbit Tales" will tour through 2016 - more locations and dates will be added, so check back if your area isn't currently on the list. Performances begin in New York State in early October and move farther afield in November. Thank you Kathy Cole, Connie Neumann and Carol Saldeen for sending the information and links!

*There is a possibility of a group getting together to attend the Manhattan performance on October 17. If interested, please contact Kathy Cole, [email protected] .

Enchantment Theatre Squirrel Nutkin's house

------

Those in Chicago, IL, with little ones to entertain over Christmas may be interested in "A Snowy Day with Beatrix Potter and Friends" by the Chicago Children's Theatre, appearing in different venues around the city, November 28, December 5, 12 and 19. (Thanks to Carol Saldeen for this one.)

------

Jill Smith (London, UK) has sent her own review of HookHitch Theatre's unique production of "My Friend Peter". Though the final performance for 2015 was at the Edinburgh Festival in August, HookHitch Theatre assures us the show will be on tour again in the UK for Easter 2016, in honour of the 150th anniversary. Something to keep in mind for those planning ahead. Jill says, "I found 'My Friend Peter' very charming, 90 minutes long, with only five players who took all the various parts and seemed like twelve. It is listed as a family friendly folk musical for all those who seek big adventures in little places. Of the approximately thirty people who attended, children and adults all enjoyed it. I was interested to see how they would weave the life of Beatrix Potter into the performance and I thought they managed it imaginatively and well, and the music on guitars, mandolin, etc., was charming as well as the catchy songs and joining pieces to the stories." Equally positive reviews can be found in The Stage and The Scotsman (repeated at Wow 24/7).

------

Also in the UK, Avenue Theatre in Ipswich, Suffolk offers "The Tale of Mr Tod", running from December 10 to January 3. "Fed up with writing 'goody goody books about nice people' Beatrix Potter turned her hand to creating two of the most dastardly villains of all time: Mr Tod and his nemesis, Tommy Brock! Join us for a Christmas adventure of mystery, suspense and slapstick."

Tidbits:

Meredith McClung (Redding, CT) has this gem of an idea for the crafters: "Yesterday morning I went into my small spare room, where I keep a desk and all my keepsakes, hoping to straighten up the clutter which the cat had swept from the desk when looking for a place to sleep in the sun. I am always inspired by clutter, and picked up an old drawer I'd been saving 'to use someday somewhere'. I have enjoyed so much my copy of Beatrix Potter: At Home in the Lake District by Susan Denyer, and one of the photos jumped out at me as the perfect way to use my old drawer."

------

For a trip down memory lane, have a look at the covers of Country Living's "30 Classic Children's Books We Still Love as Adults". Probably no surprise over which one of Beatrix's is included in the mix....

------

The Lakeland Book of the Year awards for 2015 were announced over the summer. The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks was named the Lakeland Book of the Year and also won the Zeffirellis Prize for People and Business. Well deserved! See the October Journal and Newsletter, on its way to you shortly, for news on the next Rebanks book. It is worth noting that Willow Taylor's book, Through the Pages of My Life (published by the Society), was given a "Highly Commended" Lakeland Book of the Year award in 2001.

From Our Mailbox:

A letter from Deborah Schakel (Holland, MI):

I was preparing for a Beatrix Potter presentation when I received an unexpected email from Bobbie Sue Grenerth of Ohio. Bobbie Sue is an interpretive naturalist and living history interpreter in rural Hancock County, Ohio and has tremendous interest in Potter. Arrangements were made to meet while I was visiting relatives in Ohio. We met at Goll Woods State Nature Preserve and walked the early spring trails through the old growth forest. With Bobbie's vast knowledge of plants, birds and trees, I felt like I was trailing Beatrix Potter! While I focus more on the literary talents of Potter in presentations, Bobbie presents the naturalist side. Thank you, Beatrix, for my new acquaintance.

Bobbie Sue Grenerth

Deborah Schakel

In Closing: Thank you for joining us again, and thank you for all the contributions. We look forward to your news of upcoming events, stories, photos and items of interest on all things Potter- related (in 100 to 150 words). The next issue of "Pottering About" will come your way at the end of October. Please send submissions by October 21.