Tuesday Tidbit: Anna Sewell and Black Beauty

Everyone has a favorite childhood book (or two or three…), and for some reason mine seem to revolve around horses. Misty of Chincoteague, My Friend Flicka, and Black Beauty. I was a teenager before I had an opportunity to ride a horse, and the day ended when the animal ran under a tree and swept me off her back. But that’s a story for another day.

In researching this post, I was stunned to discover that the book was published in 1877, almost one hundred years prior to my falling in love with the story. Published shortly before her death, Black Beauty is the only book Anna Sewell wrote. With fifty million copies sold, Black Beauty is considered one of the top ten children’s books, and is the first English novel to be told from the perspective of an animal. Written over the course of six years, Anna became ill before completing the manuscript and dictated much of the text to her mother.

Born March 20, 1820, Anna Sewell was born into a devout Quaker family. Her mother was a successful children’s book author who homeschooled Anna and her brother Philip. Her father owned a small shop that failed, and as a result, the family moved quite a bit in his search for employment. Anna’s maternal grandparents often took care of her and Philip.

When she was a teenager, Anna fell and injured her ankles that never healed properly. She was unable to walk without a crutch or stand for long periods of time. Over the years, she traveled to health spas in Germany and Spain to get relief and healing. However, she was unsuccessful, remaining an invalid for the rest of her life.

As an effort to give herself mobility, she used a horse-drawn chaise to get around. The regular use of the horse combined with living in a society dependent upon horsepower gave Anna pause to think about the humane treatment of animals. She intended the book as an instruction piece for those who worked with horses and other service animals, not as a children’s book.

Anna received one payment of £40 from her publisher, and the book was released on November 24, 1877. She passed away five months later on April 25, 1878.

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Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. Learn more about Linda and her book on her website or connect with her online: http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com

Tuesday Tidbit: A.A. Milne and Winnie the Pooh

There are probably few people who have never heard of Winnie the Pooh. But did you realize the cuddly little bear’s life began long before he joined Walt Disney’s company of characters?

Alan Alexander Milne was born in the Kilburn area of London on January 18, 1882 (138 years ago!). He attended college on a mathematics scholarship, receiving his BA in the subject in 1903. During his time at school he and his brother collaborated on articles for the student paper and came to the attention of the editors of Punch humor magazine. He became a regular contributor and later an editor for the publication.

His writing career was put on hold during The Great War when he joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment of the British Army. Injured during the Battle of the Somme, he invalided out then was recruited to write propaganda for MI7, finally being discharged in 1920.

Back at his desk, the next few years were highly productive, and he published eighteen plays and three books. (including one detective novel). The movie industry was just getting started, and Milne became affiliated with Leslie Howard’s company Minerva films, writing four screenplays for the actor/producer.

Life changed personally and professionally for Milne when his son Christopher Robin was born in 1920. The author continued to publish plays, but he now made up stories for his young son, incorporating the boy into the plot lines as well as the youngster’s stuffed animals, including a beloved stuffed bear initially named Edward. The toy was renamed Winnie when a black bear mascot from the First World War was left to the London Zoo.

Winnie first appeared in a poem called Teddy Bear, later republished in When We Were Young. Three more books were published, and Milne’s popularity as an author skyrocketed. He continued to write plays and movie scripts, but Winnie the Pooh’s success overshadow all of this work.

Unfortunately, success came at a price, and the real Christopher Robin resented the limelight, later stating that his father exploited his childhood. The family became estranged. Christopher visited his father occasionally during the last years of the author’s life, but did not see his mother at all in the fifteen years before she died.

After Milne’s death, his widow sold her rights to Stephen Slesinger, an American radio, TV, and film producer who also created comic book characters. Shortly after his death, Slesinger’s widow sold the rights to Walt Disney, and the rest is history.

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Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. Her latest release, Under Ground, features WWII war correspondent, Ruth Brown. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry and has lived in historic places all her life. Now located in central New Hampshire, Linda’s favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. Visit her website where she blogs about history, mystery, and faith. Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free short story. You can also connect with Linda on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.