Chances are, one of the first books that was ever read to you was written by Beatrix Potter! Whether your favourite character was Peter Rabbit, Jeremy Fisher or Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, you're bound to absolutely love at least one story! But there is SO much more to Beatrix than just cute wildlife! She was a scientist, a farmer, an environmentalist, and she's responsible for some of the best-kept natural beauty in England! Don't believe us? Read on - you're bound to learn something new!

Stick around for some more fun facts afterwards - learn all about Charles Dickens, chemistry, UNO and ghosts!

1. Beatrix wasn't her real first name!

Beatrix's first name was actually Helen! Beatrix was her middle name, and she chose it as her pen name. Helen was also her mother's name, so it probably helped make things less confusing in their house!

2. She was a natural scientist

Before hitting it big with her childrens' stories, Beatrix was known in the field of mycology (the study of fungi). She was interested in lots of natural science fields including entomology (the study of of insects) and fossils. By the 1890s she focused mostly on mushrooms and fungi, and she made amazing watercolour studies of the specimens she collected!

3. As a woman she wasn't always respected, though

Women were not widely accepted in science in the 1890s, and though Beatrix liked to talk to the experts at Kew Gardens about her theories on mushroom reproduction, she was rejected by the Director for her gender and amateur status. She wrote her findings in a paper, but as a woman she wasn't allowed to present it or attend the conference. Though she later withdrew the paper because her samples were contaminated, mycologists still hold her in high regard for her work!

4. She had a lot of pets

It wasn't all mushrooms for Beatrix, though! She was homeschooled as a child and didn't know many other children, so she befriended her family's pets instead. These included mice, rabbits, butterflies, bats, frogs and even hedgehogs! She liked to sketch these pets and capture their unique personalities.

5. Peter Rabbit was a gift for a friend's child

You might have heard that Peter Rabbit was based on Beatrix's pet bunny Peter Piper - but Peter Rabbit's first story is quite heartwarming! In 1893 Beatrix heard that her friend's five-year-old son Noel was recovering from scarlet fever (a nasty bacterial illness). To make him feel better she wrote a short story about four little rabbits and included illustrations. She went on to write more letters with more illustrations, until 1900, when her friend suggested Beatrix publish a book. The rest, as they say, is history!

6. Peter Rabbit wasn't a huge hit straight away

The Tale of Peter Rabbit is beloved today, but it wasn't a huge hit when it was first published! Lots of mainstream publishers turned the book down, and Beatrix ended up self-publishing the first edition of 250 books in 1901. In 1902 the book was republished by Frederick Warne & Co after Beatrix agreed to redo her illustrations. The original book was all in black and white, but the new version had the beautiful watercolours we know and love today! The book became so popular that six more print runs were needed!

7. She was from London

Beatrix is usually associated with the Lake District, an area she knew and loved - but she was actually born in Kensington, London, and only moved to the Lake District as an adult.

8. She loved the environment

Beatrix was a real nature lover! She spent a lot of time in the countryside, eventually moving out there. She was dedicated to preserving not just areas of outstanding natural beauty, but ordinary stretches of countryside that would be ruined by development. She was close friends with one of the developers of the National Trust, and when she died she left her estate to the National Trust. She really helped to keep the Lake District beautiful for us!

9. She took her pets on holiday

Beatrix loved her pets dearly, and would take them with her when she went away! Her rabbit Peter Piper appears in several sketches she did on holiday, happily flopped out by the fireplace. Rabbits only do that when they feel very safe and relaxed - he was one happy bunny!

10. She sometimes wrote in a secret code

Between 1881 and 1897 Beatrix wrote a diary in a fiendishly tricky secret code! The code wasn't cracked until 20 years after her death, and her diary is now available to read!

11. She was very successful in her lifetime

A lot of artists and writers only become very well known after their deaths, and so they never get to enjoy their own success. This is often especially true for women, but it wasn't the case for Beatrix. She had some success with her nature illustrations first, and once Peter Rabbit was a smash hit she published two to three books every year! Good for Beatrix!

12. She was a farmer

Beatrix's love of animals and the environment included farming! When she settled in the Lake District she became very interested in sheep farming. She took advice from local shepherds, and she kept and bred Herdwick sheep, which is a breed crucial to the Lake District's agriculture. She won prizes for her sheep and was even president of the breed association for a while! Later in her life she retired from writing but continued to manage the 14 farms she owned!

13. She basically invented merchandising

Nowadays it's super easy to get a doll or a plushie of your favourite character - but before Peter Rabbit it was almost unheard of! In 1903 Beatrix made her own Peter Rabbit doll and registered it with the patent office. A board game and Peter Rabbit wallpaper were also produced in her lifetime, and now you can get all the Beatrix Potter merch you could ever dream of!

14. She didn't always get on with her mum

Beatrix clashed with her mother quite a lot. Even though Beatrix was very successful, her mother wanted a daughter who would marry well and accompany her in high society. Beatrix was quite reserved and found her mother a bit demanding. In 1905 Beatrix accepted a marriage proposal from her publisher Norman Warne. Her parents hated this match because they thought he wasn't up to their standards, and they wouldn't allow the engagement to be made public.

15. She was glad she never went to school

Despite homeschooling making Beatrix a little lonely, she was grateful for it in the end. She said that school would have rubbed off most of her originality!

16. Her first love ended tragically

Beatrix's engagement to Norman Warne didn't last - he died just five weeks after proposing, while Beatrix was on holiday with her family. She did find love again, though, marrying proprieter William Heelis in 1913. They had a happy marriage farming together, and thought they didn't have any children Beatrix loved spending time with William's large family, helping to educate his nieces.

17. She asked that one of her books stay unpublished in England

In 1929 Beatrix published a children's book called The Fairy Caravan, which is about a guinea pig who runs away to join the circus. She published it in the US only as she felt the story was too personal, and that her English audience might not like it. It was eventually published in the UK after her death.

18. Her later books used her earlier illustrations

As she got older Beatrix's eyesight became worse, and she could not do the same beautiful illustrations from her earlier books. Before she retired completely she used old drawings from her early sketchbooks. Her last book was The Tale of Little Pig Robinson, published in 1930, which was actually one of the first stories she wrote!

19. A new Beatrix Potter book came out in 2016

A lost story called The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots was discovered in 2013, and published in 2016! There was only one sketch of the kitty in question, so legendary illustrator Quentin Blake stepped up to complete the book!

20. You can visit her home!

If you find yourself in Ambleside, Cumbria, be sure to check out Hill Top farmhouse - it's Beatrix's beloved country retreat! You can wander the gardens she loved so much, and even better, there's a second-hand bookshop there too!