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J. M. Barrie Facts & Worksheets

J. M. Barrie was a Scottish playwright and novelist who is best known for creating Peter Pan.

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J. M. Barrie was a Scottish playwright and novelist who is best known for creating Peter Pan.

See the fact file below for more information on the J. M. Barrie or alternatively, you can download our 21-page J. M. Barrie worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

  • J. M. Barrie was born as James Matthew Barrie on May 9, 1860, in Kirriemuir, Angus.
  • Barrie was the ninth son of Margaret Ogilvy and David Barrie, who was a weaver.
  • At the age of eight, Barrie was sent to the Glasgow Academy, where two of his siblings, Alexander and Mary Ann, were teachers.
  • At the age of ten, Barrie left the Glasgow Academy and returned home.
  • He later continued his studies at the the Forfar Academy.
  • At the age of 14, Barrie entered Dumfries Academy.
  • While in Dumfries Academy, Barrie and his friends formed a drama club, and they produced their first play entitled Bandelero the Bandit.
  • On April 21, 1882, Barrie graduated from the University of Edinburgh.
  • While at the university, Barrie wrote drama reviews for the Edinburgh Evening Courant.

CAREER

  • After graduating, Barrie worked as a staff journalist for the Nottingham Journal for a year and a half.
  • Barrie submitted a work to a London newspaper, St. James’s Gazette, which resulted in him being able to write a series.
  • Barrie was able to publish his first novel in 1888. It was entitled Auld Licht Idylls. In 1890, Barrie published A Window in Thrums, and in 1891, Barrie published another novel entitled The Little Minister. All three novels were based on the work he submitted to the London newspaper.
  • Later on, Barrie’s attention turned to theater works. Barrie started with a biography of Richard Savage, but it was critically panned.
  • After continuous failures, Barrie was able to have back-to-back success with Quality Street in 1901 and The Admirable Crichton in 1902.
  • Barrie’s work, Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, had its first stage performance on December 27, 1904.
  • Barrie’s play introduced Wendy, a character inspired by a young girl named Margaret Henley.
  • After Peter Pan, Barrie had continuous success on the stage, and most of his works discussed social concerns.
  • In 1910, Barrie created The Twelve Pound Look.
  • In 1911, Barrie adapted the Peter Pan play into a novel entitled Peter and Wendy.
  • In 1917, Barrie created Dear Brutus, and in 1920, he created Mary Rose. Both revisited the idea of the ageless child and of parallel worlds.
  • In 1929, Barrie gave the rights of the Peter Pan works to the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
  • Barrie’s final play was released in 1936, and it was entitled The Boy David.
  • This play dramatized the Biblical story of King Saul and a young boy named David.

PERSONAL LIFE

  • Barrie first met Mary Ansell, an actress, in 1891. The two met through Jerome K. Jerome, who was a friend of Barrie.
  • Barrie and Mary Ansell got married in Kirriemuir on July 9, 1894, after Barrie recovered from his illness and after Mary Ansell retired from the spotlight.
  • The two had no children together.
  • Barrie sued Mary Ansell for divorce on the grounds of infidelity, which was granted in October 1909, after finding out that his wife was having an affair with Gilbert Cannan.
  • Despite what happened, Barrie still supported Mary Ansell financially by giving her an annual allowance.
  • On June 19, 1937, Barrie died of pneumonia at a nursing home on Manchester Street.
  • Barrie’s remains were buried next to his parents and two of his siblings.

LLEWELYN DAVIES FAMILY

  • Barrie became acquainted with the Llewelyn Davies family in 1897.
  • Barrie invented the character of Peter Pan to entertain George and Jack, two of the five sons of Arthur and Sylvia. The character was invented to amuse the two boys by saying that their other brother, whose name was Peter, could fly.

RECOGNITION

  • In 1913, Barrie was appointed by King George V as a baronet.
  • In 1922, Barrie was made a member of the Order of Merit.
  • From 1930 to 1937, Barrie served as Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh.

J. M. Barrie Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the J. M. Barrie across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use J. M. Barrie worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about J. M. Barrie who was a Scottish playwright and novelist who is best known for creating Peter Pan.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • J. M. Barrie Facts
  • Color Box
  • More On Barrie
  • The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up
  • Match Them
  • Blanks
  • Works
  • Character
  • Friends
  • Be A Playwright
  • Tweet

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