Fascinating Facts about JM Barrie and Peter Pan

Did you know?

There are many weird and wonderful facts surrounding JM Barrie and his stories of Peter Pan.

Did you know JM Barrie was only about 5 foot 3 inches (1.6m) tall?

Not Always Neverland

In early drafts of Barrie's play, Neverland is called Peter's Never Never Never Land. When the play was first performed, the island was referred to as the Never Never Land. In the 1923 version, it was shortened to the Never Land. In the 1911 novel, it was spelt as one word: the Neverland.

The Seven Peter Pan Statues of the World

There are seven statues of Peter Pan playing a set of pipes, cast from a mould by sculptor George Frampton. The statues are in

• Kensington Gardens in London, England
• Liverpool, England
• Brussels, Belgium
• Camden, New Jersey, USA
• Perth, Western Australia
• Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

Peter Pan: Star-maker

When Peter Pan debuted in London on 27 December 1904, Nina Boucicault played Peter. The title role made a star of Maude Adams in America; she became the most successful, highest paid performer of her day.

JM Barrie: Bringing Wendy to the World

JM Barrie is often credited with popularising the name Wendy, which was really rare before the Peter Pan stories became famous. It's thought Barrie took the name from Margaret Henley, a young girl who used to call Barrie her "friendy-wendy."

JM Barrie: Inventor of the Wendy House

The name Wendy House for a small play house comes from the house Peter Pan and the Lost Boys build for the injured Wendy when she arrives in Neverland.

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