Hi Dani. Thanks for transcribing the letters between JMB and Housman - very funny! Also thanks for the other letters, all fascinating and a great contribution to this site.

The main problem with regard to Peter Pan merchandise, outside of Disney, is that there isn't just one representation of the characters. As it started as a play with different actors and costumes every few years, and the first illustrated edition coming out a few years later, there never was one depiction that made its mark (unlike say, Winnie the Pooh as illustrated by E H Shepard which established the characters from first day of publication). So the depictions changed over the years according to design and propriety trends - for instance, Peter's costume changed from the full red suit complete with jerkin, shirt, leggings to a green skimpy leafy costume, or a pseudo-Robin Hood attire.

There was some merchandise based on Frampton's statue in Kensington Gardens in the 1920s, but after the copyright went to GOSH, there wasn't so much as it wasn't a priority for them (especially after the hospital was incorporated into the NHS), apart from the Peter Pan League created in 1930 with a logo designed by EH Shepard himself. GOSH's hospital shop and mail order shop does offer some Peter Pan items but in a limited way. It is now complicated by the fact that Disney owns most of the trademarks in the characters, so other would-be merchandisers wouldn't be able to produce stuff based on a different design.

I have seen quite a few Disney things such as mugs, snow globes, etc on eBay but suspect there will be more Disney merchandise coming out when their new film is released.

That's lovely to hear! It's good to know he's not forgotten. Thanks for that.

This is a tiny edition (12x14 cm) of the story of Peter Pan for little children, charmingly illustrated by Kathleen Atkins, published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1930. It is of course very much abridged, but retains its essence and magic. The complete book has been uploaded on the database - search for Kathleen Atkins.

I have now uploaded the illustrations from one of my favourite editions of Peter Pan: published in 1931 by Hodder & Stoughton, and illustrated by Gwynedd M. Hudson (ca. 1882-1935). The first edition had a dustjacket and red-orange cloth cover, and was later reprinted with a blue cloth cover for a cheaper, special Boots the Chemists edition (a circulating library run by the chain of pharmacies).

Gwynedd M. Hudson studied art at the Brighton School of Art. She was a figure painter, illustrator, and poster artist. Among other works, she also illustrated a lavish edition of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Her version of Peter Pan & Wendy is also lavish in an Art Deco style. The layout, typesetting and lettering are exquisite. Apart from the full page illustrations, she also hand-lettered the chapter titles and captions. The book is decorated with stunning chapter headings as well as endings, and a series of running vignettes depicting the procession of the lost boys pursued by the pirates and Hook, themselves pursued by the Indians, followed by various beasts and (of course) the crocodile.

Like F D Bedford, her inspiration came from the novel, not the stage production and Peter Pan is represented wearing a costume made of leaves, not the elaborate costume seen in Alice Woodward's or Flora White's illustrations.

I have uploaded all the illustrations by Alice B Woodward from the Peter Pan Picture Book onto the database. She was a prominent English illustrator at the turn of the 20th Century, famous not only for her works of children literature (apart from Peter Pan, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Black Beauty and many others) but also her scientific illustrations. She died in 1951.

The text of the Peter Pan Picture Book was written by Daniel O'Connor, and is the same as the Peter Pan Keepsake. It Is significantly different from Barrie's own play and novel, as it is adapted from the original productions of the stage play, prior to Barrie's changes and additions. It was originally published by George Bell & Sons in 1907, with Barrie's permission.

The illustrations give an idea of the colours of the original costumes, notably Peter Pan's red outfit, before it became the green costume commonly associated nowadays with the character.

I'm a bit unclear about it as well. The headmaster obviously didn't take kindly to Hook forgiving him for landing him in trouble with the other boys - and commiserating about his eventual death - and felt it was patronising coming from a pupil, so punished him for that. A bit of Barrie's whimsy...