1. James M. Barrie

2. His Life
James Barrie was born in Scotland; his parents were fairly successful weavers
His parents wanted more in life for James and his eight siblings; they went to school and were prepared for any job they chose

3. Two of James siblings died before he was born (he was number eight of the nine) and his next older brother died when James was only seven
James played in the gardens of Moat Brae, a home near his own, where he created the story and characters that were to become “Peter Pan”

4. He was a small man, only growing slightly over 5 feet tall, and was shy and withdrawn because of his height
His education was very solid, and he graduated with an MA from Edinburgh University
Barrie loved the game of Cricket, and played through most of his adult years

5. James worked for a newspaper before he began publishing his own work
James work was a mixed bag of success for a time; his stories sold fairly well, although they are not considered to be outstanding work by classical standards

6. He grew interested in drama and, after several poor starts, finally produced a collection of plays that gave him fame and fortune – the stories of “Peter Pan”
Theatre Royal in Dumfries
An illustration from the book version of Peter Pan

7. Arthur and Sylvia Davies, with their children
James met and married an actress from one of his early plays; their marriage was emotionally difficult and ended in a divorce that devastated James
James met a family with five sons, the Davies; he developed a strong relationship with their mother
Arthur and Sylvia Davies, with their children
Mary Ansell Barrie

8. After Mr. Davies’ death, James continued caring for Mrs
After Mr. Davies’ death, James continued caring for Mrs. Davies and the boys, informally adopting them after her death
He cared for them into adulthood; they seemed to have replaced the family he was never able to have with his wife
He even told stories to Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret, when they were still children

9. James received a baronet in 1913 and was knighted in 1922, making him Sir James M. Barrie
He died of pneumonia and is buried near his parents

10. Neverland

11. His Work James Barrie’s greatest success is in “Peter Pan”
The success of the Peter stories brought a change in children’s literature, making it a better quality and more economical
Barrie was close to many famous literary figures of the time, including HG Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Thomas Hardy
Peter Davies, the inspiration for Peter Pan

12. Many believe that the death of his brother and the grief he saw in his mother inspired James to write children’s stories; he entertained her with stories and tales to take her mind off of the death of his brother
Many of his stories are based on the stories of his mother’s childhood and that of his own siblings

13. Although his reputation was built on his story telling and flamboyant friendships, James was a shy, quiet, and private man
He donated the proceeds from “Peter Pan” to a children’s hospital, which still benefits from royalties today