Helen Beatrix Potter (28th of July 1866 to 22nd of December 1943 )was an English writer, illustrator, scientist, and conservationist. She is best known for the delightful series of children’s books which she wrote and illustrated. The books feature animals. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was her first commercially published work in 1902. Her books, including 23 Tales, have sold more than 250 million copies. to date. Beatrix Potter, being entrepreneurial was a pioneer of character merchandising. Peter Rabbit was the first fictional character to be made into a patented children’s stuffed toy making him the oldest licensed character. (1903)
My name is Philippa and my twin was Nicola. Our names were shortened to Philly and Nicky. Nicky died of cancer in 2021. I include photos of us both. Nicky was my constant companion throughout childhood.
Nicky and I grew up the youngest of six children. Our father William Monk Gibbon* was an author and a poet. Books were an important part of our childhood. With 4 older siblings to read to us and keep us amused, Beatrix Potter’s books were a much loved part of our childhood. Not only did we love the books we also loved the race game based on her much loved characters, Peter Rabbit, Jeremy Fisher, Squirrel Nutkin, Mrs Tiggy Winkle and Jemima Puddleduck. Nicky and I vied with each other to be Jemima Puddleduck as at a certain point on the board Jemima was allowed to fly and reach her destination sooner if you happened to land on the correct square.
As an adult teaching in Scotland, Nicky gave me the complete works of Beatrix Potter. Her characters provided many happy memories in my childhood and I hope in the childhoods of future generations.
My sister Nicky and I were born on the 3rd of February 1946. I am older by reputedly 10 mins! We were born in Bray Co. Wicklow. We spent the first 2 years of our lives in Co. Donegal, on the edge of Fintragh beach, near Killybegs. We moved to Sandycove, Co Dublin in 1948. It was the only house in my father’s opinion, that had a room big enough to house the big wooden bookcase that housed his writings along with other valuable books. The house my father bought was where George Bernard Shaw had attended Nursery school. My mother often wondered if the wooden marbles she came across when digging in the garden had been played with by G B Shaw.
Nicky and I attended the Hall School in Monkstown from the age of 5. When we were 14 we begged our mother to become boarders. We boarded at the Hall School till we were 16. I had the ignominy of being expelled at Easter in 1962. I had had a row with my sister and left the school premises at about 8.30 in the evening and roamed around Blackrock but had nowhere else to return to but school as my parents were teaching in England. It was the final straw as far as the school was concerned, and I had to go. I went to Sutton Park in Howth for 2 years which I greatly enjoyed. Nicky was given the opportunity of a co ed school also, and went to Newtown in Waterford.
Philippa Craven.
William Monk Gibbon
* https://www.dib.ie/biography/gibbon-william-monk-a3451
https://www.rte.ie/archives/2021/0106/1188042-monk-gibbon/
“I’m inordinately interested in the young…I have a great delight in youth and in the fresh outlook on life that youth brings to it…” William Monk Gibbon
The Hall School, Monkstown
http://www.dlrcoco.ie/dlr-events/event/hall-school-150
Sutton Park School, Howth
Newtown School, Waterford
Beatrix Potter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatrix_Potter
https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-the-uk/the-secret-life-of-beatrix-potter
Books donated by Philippa Craven to the Museum of Childhood Ireland in April 2023.