In Search of Peter Pan Trivia Quiz

Answer: James Matthew

James Matthew Barrie was the ninth born child to weaver, David Barrie, and his wife, Margaret Ogilvy. They lived in relative comfort, and the children were taught the three 'R's (reading, writing and arithmetic) which prepared them for secondary education.

Answer: The death of his older brother, David

When he was six years old, his 13 year old brother, David, died in a skating accident. His mother was devastated as David had been her favourite, and so young Barrie assumed the role of his elder sibling by wearing his clothes. Although dead, his mother had some consolation from knowing that, in her eyes, her son David was going to stay young forever.

Answer: Journalist

J. M. Barrie attended Edinburgh University where he wrote items for a local newspaper. After leaving university, he took a job for 18 months as a journalist for a newspaper in Nottingham, and it was there that he started writing plays for the theatre.

Answer: The Admirable Crichton

Acted in four parts, the story told of butler Crichton and his relationship with Lord Loam and his family. His submissive role took an about-face turn when he and the family were shipwrecked on an island, and Crichton was the only person with any practical experience to stay alive. After two years on the island, the Loam family were calling him 'guv' and the youngest daughter was preparing to marry him. They were rescued by a passing boat and resumed the role of master and servant when they reached civilisation, but without any success.

Answer: The Little White Bird

"The Little White Bird" was a collection of 26 short stories including "The Little Nursery Governess", "The Runaway Perambulator", "The Thrush's Nest" and "Peter Pan". The stories were filled with fantasy and included the characters, six year old David, four year old Maimie, Porthos the St Bernard dog, and a young boy who flew and cavorted with fairies. Peter Pan himself!

Answer: Allahakbarries

J. M. Barrie loved to put pen to paper, but another love he had was playing cricket. The Allahakbarries was active for 23 years from 1890 to 1913. Some of his friends included Arthur Conan Doyle, H. G. Wells, Jerome K. Jerome, A. A. Milne and G. K. Chesterton. Barrie believed that the term "Allah akbar" meant "Heaven help us", when it actually means "God is great".

Answer: Llewelyn-Davies

J. M. Barrie became very close to the Llewelyn-Davies family, including mother Sylvia, and her five sons, George, John, Peter, Michael and Nicholas. It was these boys who gave Barrie the inspiration for the Lost Boys in "Peter Pan". The 2004 film, "Finding Neverland", starred Johnny Depp as J. M. Barrie and Kate Winslett as Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies. In real life, Barrie became the boys' guardian when their mother died of cancer.

Answer: Fwendy

Young Margaret had trouble pronouncing her 'r's and instead of saying friendy, which is what she called Barrie, she used "fwendy". The young girl only lived a very short life until succumbing to meningitis when she was six years old. Her memory lived on through the writer when he introduced the character, Wendy Darling, in his "Peter Pan" plays.

Answer: Michael and John

The story of Peter Pan took us on a trip from Victorian London to a place beyond the stars, often depicted as a lush island with jungle, waterfalls and white sandy beaches. Wendy, Michael and John Darling were flown to the island where Wendy became a mother figure to the Lost Boys. They met many characters during their adventures including mermaids, a tick-tocking crocodile, Captain Hook, Tiger Lily and of course Tinkerbell. J. M. Barrie had a wonderfully vivid imagination!

Answer: Pneumonia

J. M. Barrie died from pneumonia on the 19th June, 1937. His legacy lives on through children worldwide who have read his books and seen his plays, and through adults who perhaps, maybe, secretly yearn to re-visit their childhood. After he died, the copyright to his "Peter Pan" works was given to the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London.