Piers Dudgeon - Neverland: J. M. Barrie, the Du Mauriers, and the Dark Side of Peter Pan

In the text

The childs map of Kensington Gardens. Drawn by H. J. Ford, 1902

Kicky and Felix Moscheles. Sketch by George du Maurier

A mesmeric sance in Mrs Ls back parlour, 1858. Sketch by George du Maurier

The du Maurier children playing trains. Drawing by George du Maurier for Punch, 1875

Svengali. Illustration for Trilby by George du Maurier

To die will be an awfully big adventure. Illustration for Peter Pan by F. D. Bedford

A strange appearance. Peter Pan dressed in leaves, illustration by Mabel Lucy Attwell

First section of plates

George du Maurier (Kicky) as a young art student in Paris. Self-portrait in oils, 1856 or 1857. Courtesy of Christian Browning

Coffee and Brassin in Bobtails Rooms. Student life in Antwerp. Sketch by George du Maurier, 1858. In Bohemia with George du Maurier by Felix Moscheles (1896) The Midnight Presence of the Uncanny. George du Maurier and Felix Moscheles playing games of hypnotism. Sketch by George du Maurier. In Bohemia with George du Maurier by Felix Moscheles (1896)

George goes hunting for memories in the dead forests of his mind. Illustrated letter from George du Maurier to Carry. Courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Moscheles, or Mephistopheles? which. Cartoon of Felix Moscheles as a devilish hypnotist. Sketch by George du Maurier. In Bohemia with George du Maurier by Felix Moscheles (1896)

George du Maurier and his wife Emma, with their daughter May, photographed in September 1874 by Julia Margaret Cameron. Royal Photographic Society Collection/at the NMeM/SSPL

George du Maurier in London, 1880s. Photograph by courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Henry James. Getty Images

Sketch by George du Maurier of his daughter, Sylvia. Courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Dolly with her parents Hubert and Maude Parry. By kind permission of Laura Ponsonby and Kate Russell

Sylvia du Maurier. Courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Arthur Llewelyn Davies. Photograph by courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Sylvia with George, the eldest of her five sons. Courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Jamie Barrie, when a student at Edinburgh University, 1882. Courtesy of Andrew Birkin

Arthur Conan Doyle. Photo by Herbert Barraud/National Portrait Gallery

Barries spinster sister, Jane Ann, and his redoubtable mother, Margaret Ogilvy.

J. M. Barrie by Janet Dunbar (1970)

Jim Barrie with his St Bernard dog, Porthos. Courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Mary Ansell, Barries actress wife. Photograph by J.M. Barrie. The Walter Beinecke Jnr Collection, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Nanny to Sylvias five boys. Photograph of Mary Hodgson by courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Second section of plates

Sylvia with her eldest son, George. Photograph by J.M. Barrie, courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Sylvia with her third son, Peter. Photograph by J.M. Barrie, by kind permission of Laura Ponsonby and Kate Russell

Black Lake Cottage, Mary Barries holiday house, where Jim Barrie encouraged the Llewelyn Davies boys to play fantasy games of redskins and pirates. Photograph by courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

We set out to be wrecked. George, Jack and Peter at Black Lake Cottage. Photograph by J.M. Barrie. The Walter Beinecke Jnr Collection, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

J. M. Barrie drawing further and further into the wood. Courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

No. 4 boy. Photograph of Michael Llewelyn Davies, courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Michael Llewelyn Davies. Photograph by J.M. Barrie, courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

George Llewelyn Davies. Photograph by J.M. Barrie, courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

J.M. Barrie in 1904, at the time that Peter Pan was first staged. Photograph by courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Sylvia, after her husband, Arthur Llewelyn Davies, died aged 44. Photograph by J.M. Barrie, courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Sylvia, in her final illness, also aged 44. Photograph by J.M. Barrie, courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Sylvias Will. Courtesy of Andrew Birkin and The Walter Beinecke Jnr Collection, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

The Llewelyn Davies boys fly fishing. Photograph by courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Barrie in his penthouse flat at Adelphi Terrace House. J. M. Barrie by Janet Dunbar (1970)

Gerald du Maurier. Its Only the Sister by Angela du Maurier (1951)

Geralds wife, Muriel du Maurier. Its Only the Sister by Angela du Maurier (1951)

Captain Scott. Getty Images

Lady Cynthia Asquith. J. M. Barrie by Janet Dunbar (1970)

Third section of plates

Daphne du Maurier as a small child. Courtesy of Christian Browning

Drawing of the artists model, Trilby. Illustration by George du Maurier for his novel, Trilby (1894)

Daphne with Trilby hair-cut. Courtesy of Christian Browning

Daphne dressed like Marty, character from George du Mauriers novel, The Martian. Courtesy of Christian Browning

George, Jack and Peter Llewelyn Davies. J. M. Barrie by Janet Dunbar (1970)

Angela, Jeanne and Daphne du Maurier with their mother. Courtesy of Christian Browning

Michael at Oxford. Photograph by courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Nico at Eton. J. M. Barrie by Janet Dunbar (1970)

Michael and Nico with Uncle Jim on holiday in Scotland. Photograph by courtesy of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Robert Boothby with Michael and friends, at Oxford. Photograph by courtesy of the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Sandford Pool, where Michael drowned. Author

Jim in 1920, before Michaels death. J. M. Barrie by W. A. Darlington (1938)

Jim, in trilby, after Michaels death. By courtesy of the du Maurier Archive, Special Collections, University of Exeter

Jim in 1930. Photograph by courtesy of the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London

Daphne with her father, Gerald, in 1925. She referred to her relationship with him as her Daddy complex. Mander &Mitchenson Theatre Collection, London

Daphne rowing to Ferryside.