statue of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, London -May 2004
24 Jul, 2010
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The bronze statue of Peter Pan is in Kensington Gardens, next to Hyde Park. The exact location was chosen by Peter Pan's author, J.M. Barrie. Barrie lived close to Kensington Gardens and published his first Peter Pan story in 1902, using the park for inspiration. In his Peter Pan tale, The Little White Bird, Peter flies out of his nursery and lands beside the Long Water lake - on the spot where the statue now stands.
Barrie began planning the Peter Pan statue in 1906. He took photos of the six-year-old Michael Llewelyn Davies wearing a special Peter Pan costume to help a sculptor recreate his vision. In 1912, he found the man to make the statue, Sir George Frampton, and by 1st May that year, the sculpture was in place in Kensington Gardens.
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Oh, did you?! I looked it up, he is buried in Kirriemuir... Never heard of it before...
24 Jul, 2010
I posted a blog about our visit last week, Hilda, if you want to see some pics. JM Barrie's Peter Pan fits in so well with our "pirates" themed garden, of course. This year is the 150th anniversary of Barrie's birth, but I missed the celebrations in his home town (1 hour drive from home).
Also, my children are now in London for a week, staying with their uncle just across the road from Kensington Gardens. We are so familiar with this statue, and the more modern Peter Pan-themed children's playground, created in memory of Princess Diana (not to be confused with the memorial water feature - a separately-funded memorial). I have lost all my pics of this famous statue, and the playground, so hoping that they will bring some home next week.
Kirriemuir - not surprised you don't know it, but "famous" here, not just for being Barrie's birthplace, his house and garden as a museum, his burial place, but also "locally" for gingerbread. On GOY, now known as the town where member Scotkat lives, has a wonderful garden,helps keep up a marvellous community garden, and runs a children's gardening club at a farm in the surrounding, lovely countryside. :-))
24 Jul, 2010
Thanks, I will look it up, and read your blog later in the day (I have got my little grandson here for the moment).
25 Jul, 2010
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Many Thanks for this timely pic, Hilda. We visited Barrie's birthplace and his grave last week. :-))
24 Jul, 2010