World War I, also known as the First World War or the Great War, was a global war centered in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. More than 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians died as a result of the war. In America and Canada, the “Great War” is so little-known it is called the “Forgotten War.” But in Britain where stories have passed down generation to generation, for the British, everybody had a story in their family and everyone is touched by this war.
Sea of Poppies, London 2014
The Lost Boys, London 1904
The story started with Peter Pan and his gang, the Lost Boys, created by Scottish novelist and playwright J.M.Barrie. The character’s best-known adventure first appeared on 27 December 1904, in the form of a stage play at the Duck of York’s Theatre, London. It starred Nina Boucicault as Peter and most of the performers especially members of Peter’s gang were played by women. However, among the few children audiences were Llewelyn Davies’ five boys: George, Jack, Peter, Michael, and Nico, who were the inspiration for Barrie’s play. Sadly, the boy were orphaned after their mother died in 1910 and in four years Europe plunged into World War I. George, Jack and Peter would be called upon to serve their country. England, allied with France, was soon embroiled in the conflict. It was, of course, not only the Llewelyn Davies boys, and their friends, who were at risk during the first part of the war. People throughout Europe were dying. Those who succumbed became members of a lost generation. (from Bos, Carole “Finding Neverland” AwesomeStories.com. Date of access: 8/9/2014 https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/Finding-Neverland
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What about the boys? George died in the war; Peter was mentally wounded beyond repair; Michael drowned while at Oxford in 1921; Jack survived the war and married; Nico lived to be an old man. In 1929 Barrie gave London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital all rights to Peter Pan. Royalties have been buying beds, funding research, and expanding the Hospital’s ability to care for children ever since.
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The last scene of Peter Pan is “Home Sweet Home”. Love and Peace!
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