Most of the letters, like this one written in 1942, relate to day-to-day farming matters – sale prices for cattle and sheep, wages for the men and the weather – but the collection also includes Beatrix’s initial approach to George Walker asking him to come and work for her. They were bought by the Society at a Sotheby’s auction in May 1998 and are currently on long-loan to the V&A.(see above for making an appointment to view them) It is one of a group of eight letters – seven from Beatrix Heelis and one from William Heelis – written to George Walker, the manager of Troutbeck Park Farm from 1930 to 1945.
Visitors to The Beatrix Potter Society website might be intrigued by the background letter on each page. The background letter on the website Photo by Betsy Bray You can also read more about the Society’s acquisition in the January 2017 Journal and Newsletter, which featured Jemima on its cover.) (See the ‘Places to Visit’ page of this website for more about Melford Hall and the Cotsen Collection. Several other Jemima dolls have survived – among them one at Melford Hall (given to the Hyde Parker children by Beatrix) and another (which originally belonged to Tom Storey’s daughter, Freda) in the Beatrix Potter Collection of the Cotsen Children’s Library at Princeton University. She is being made in hundreds at a toy factory at Acton Hill.’ In the same year she wrote to another little girl, ‘… I should like to send “Jemima” because I have taken a great deal of interest in getting her made. Jeremy Fisher is inscribed ‘to Ellen J Bond from Beatrix Potter Oct 4 th 1906 Sawrey Ambleside’, and the Jemima is one of the original dolls registered in 1910 and produced by a company called Farnell to Beatrix’s own design. Jemima is now on long loan at the V&A, where you can make an appointment to see it by contacting Emma Laws ( or Lizzie Jacklin ( copy of The Tale of Mr.
Christine’s great-aunt was Nurse Ellen Bond, who helped to care for Beatrix’s first governess, Miss Hammond, in her old age and the two women became friends. These were a generous donation from Member, Christine Hacklett, and were given to her family by Beatrix Potter herself. Jeremy Fisher – and all are on long loan at the V&A. The Society is the proud owner of a charming but very old Jemima Puddle-duck doll and two first edition little books – The Tale of Benjamin Bunny and The Tale of Mr. Jemima Puddle-duck doll and two first edition little books
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