James Matthew Barrie

Sir James Matthew Barrie was born on 9 May 1860 in Scotland. He was a renowned Scottish dramatist and novelist who is, however, best known for having created the iconic character of Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up. He was the son of a weaver, and the early victim of a personal tragedy from which he never recovered. When he was six years old, Barrie’s brother died, and this had a great effect on him and his mother. Barrie never recovered from the shock of this untimely loss. All through his life, Barrie wanted to retain the happy memories before his brother’s death, and a strong childlike quality was present in his personality even when he was an adult. This was reflective in most of his writings, and especially in Peter Pan. Barrie based the character of Peter Pan on his older brother, David, who died in an ice-skating accident the day before his 14th birthday. Barrie studied at the University of edinburgh and was engaged with the Nottingham Journal for two years before moving to London to work as a freelance writer in 1885. Barrie was made a baronet in 1913 and was awarded the Order of Merit in 1922. He passed away on 19 June 1937 in London.