Denys Watkins-Pitchford
Encyclopedia
Denys James Watkins-Pitchford MBE
(25 July 1905 – 8 September 1990) was a British naturalist
, children's writer
, and illustrator
who wrote under the pseudonym
"BB".
, the second son of the Revd. Walter Watkins-Pitchford and his wife, Edith. His elder brother, Engel, died at the age of thirteen. Denys was himself considered to be delicate as a child, and because of this was educated at home, while his younger twin, Roger, was sent away to school. He spent a great deal of time on his own, wandering through the fields, and developed a love of the outdoors, which was to influence his writing. He enjoyed hunting, fishing
and drawing; all these things were to influence his writing greatly. At the age of fifteen, he left home and went to study at the Northampton School of Art. He won several prizes while there, but was irked by the dry, academic approach, and longed to be able to draw from life.
While at the Northampton School of Art, Watkins-Pitchford won a travelling scholarship to Paris
. He was later to say that he could not remember how long he had spent in Paris, but Quinn suggests that it was probably about three months. He worked at a studio in Montparnasse
, and attended drawing classes. It is unknown exactly where he studied. In the autumn of 1924, he entered the Royal College of Art
in London. In 1930 he became an assistant art master at Rugby School
where he remained for seventeen years. While at Rugby School he was to begin contributing regularly to the Shooting Times
and start his career as an author and illustrator. He wrote under the nom de plume of '"BB"', a name based on the size of lead shot
he used to shoot geese
, but he maintained the use of his real name as that of the illustrator in all his books. He later illustrated books by other writers, and sold his own paintings locally.
(MBE) in 1990. He collapsed suddenly in September of that year, and died while under anaesthetic in the operating theatre.
This quote, so apt for his works, has sometimes been thought to have been another one of 'BB'’s creations but it was in fact copied from a tombstone in a north-country churchyard by his father.
The Little Grey Men
was one of Syd Barrett's
favourite books; an excerpt from it was read at his funeral.
In 1975 The Little Grey Men
was adapted into a 10 part animated series called Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder and Cloudberry by Anglia Television
in the U.K.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(25 July 1905 – 8 September 1990) was a British naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
, children's writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
who wrote under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"BB".
Early life
Denys Watkins-Pitchford was born in Lamport, NorthamptonshireLamport, Northamptonshire
Lamport is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire, England. The village is on the A508, about south of Market Harborough and north of Northampton. Nearby is Lamport Hall...
, the second son of the Revd. Walter Watkins-Pitchford and his wife, Edith. His elder brother, Engel, died at the age of thirteen. Denys was himself considered to be delicate as a child, and because of this was educated at home, while his younger twin, Roger, was sent away to school. He spent a great deal of time on his own, wandering through the fields, and developed a love of the outdoors, which was to influence his writing. He enjoyed hunting, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and drawing; all these things were to influence his writing greatly. At the age of fifteen, he left home and went to study at the Northampton School of Art. He won several prizes while there, but was irked by the dry, academic approach, and longed to be able to draw from life.
While at the Northampton School of Art, Watkins-Pitchford won a travelling scholarship to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was later to say that he could not remember how long he had spent in Paris, but Quinn suggests that it was probably about three months. He worked at a studio in Montparnasse
Montparnasse
Montparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
, and attended drawing classes. It is unknown exactly where he studied. In the autumn of 1924, he entered the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
in London. In 1930 he became an assistant art master at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
where he remained for seventeen years. While at Rugby School he was to begin contributing regularly to the Shooting Times
Shooting Times
Shooting Times and Country Magazine, more commonly known as the Shooting Times, is a British shooting and firearms magazine, published by IPC Media. The magazine also features articles on hunting, fishing, deer stalking, gamekeeping, gundogs and wildlife...
and start his career as an author and illustrator. He wrote under the nom de plume of '"BB"', a name based on the size of lead shot
Lead shot
Lead shot is a collective term for small balls of lead. These were the original projectiles for muskets and early rifles, but today lead shot is fired primarily from shotguns. It is also used for a variety of other purposes...
he used to shoot geese
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
, but he maintained the use of his real name as that of the illustrator in all his books. He later illustrated books by other writers, and sold his own paintings locally.
His books
- (1937) The Sportsman's Bedside Book
- (1938) Wild Lone: The Story of a Pytchley Fox
- (1939) Manka, the Sky Gypsy: The Story of a Wild Goose
- (1941) The Countryman's Bedside Book
- (1942) The Little Grey MenThe Little Grey MenThe Little Grey Men is a children's novel by Denys Watkins-Pitchford, written under the nom de plume “BB” and illustrated by the author. It was first published in 1942 and has been frequently republished. It tells the exploits of four gnomes, named after the flowers Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder...
- (1943) The Idle Countryman
- (1944) Brendon ChaseBrendon ChaseBrendon Chase is a children's novel by Denys Watkins-Pitchford, writing as "BB". It was published in 1944, but is set at an earlier, unspecified date...
- (1945) The Fisherman's Bedside Book
- (1945) The Wayfaring Tree
- (1948) Meeting Hill
- (1948) The Shooting Man's Bedside Book
- (1948) A Stream in Your Garden
- (1948) Down the Bright Stream
- (1949) Be Quiet and Go A-Angling (Pseudonym Michael Traherne)
- (1950) Confessions of a Carp Fisher
- (1950) Letters from Compton Deverell
- (1950) Tide's Ending
- (1952) The Wind in the Wood
- (1953) Dark Estuary
- (1955) The Forest of Boland Light Railway
- (1957) Alexander
- (1957) Ben the Bullfinch
- (1957) Wandering Wind
- (1957) Monty Woodpig's Caravan
- (1958) Monty Woodpig & his Bubblebuzz Car
- (1958) Mr Bumstead
- (1958) A Carp Water (Wood Pool): And How to Fish It
- (1959) The Wizard of Boland
- (1959) Bill Badger's Winter Cruise
- (1959) Autumn Road to the Isles
- (1960) Bill Badger and the PiratesBill Badger and the PiratesBill Badger and the Pirates is a children's novel with a canal-side setting, written and illustrated in 1960 by the prolific author Denys Watkins-Pitchford, who wrote under the pseudonym "BB"....
- (1961) Bill Badger and the Secret Weapon
- (1961) The White Road Westwards
- (1961) The Badgers of Bearshanks
- (1961) Bill Badger's Finest Hour
- (1962) Bill Badger's Whispering Reeds Adventure
- (1962) September Road to Caithness
- (1962) Lepus the Brown Hare
- (1963) Bill Badger's Big Mistake
- (1964) The Pegasus Book of the Countryside
- (1964) Summer Road to Wales
- (1967) Bill Badger and the Big Store Robbery
- (1967) A Summer on the Nene
- (1967) The Whopper
- (1968) At the Back o' Ben Dee
- (1969) Bill Badger's Voyage to the Worlds End
- (1971) The Tiger Tray
- (1975) The Pool of the Black Witch
- (1975) Lord of the Forest
- (1976) Recollections of a Longshore Gunner
- (1978) A Child Alone
- (1979) Ramblings of a Sportsman-Naturalist
- (1980) The Naturalist's Bedside Book
- (1981) The Quiet Fields
- (1984) Indian Summer
- (1985) The Best of BB
- (1987) Fisherman's Folly
Later years
Watkins-Pitchford married in 1939, and had two children, Robin, who died at the age of seven from Bright's Disease, and Angela. Tragedy entered his life a second time in 1974, when his wife, Cecily, became unwell after working in the garden while a farmer was spraying his fields at the other side of the hedge. She died a few weeks later. By the late 1980s, Watkins-Pitchford needed regular dialysis treatment. He was awarded an honorary MA by Leicester University in 1986, and was made a Member of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) in 1990. He collapsed suddenly in September of that year, and died while under anaesthetic in the operating theatre.
Trivia
Inside all his books appeared the quotation:- The wonder of the world
- The beauty and the power,
- The shapes of things,
- Their colours, lights and shades,
- These I saw.
- Look ye also while life lasts.
This quote, so apt for his works, has sometimes been thought to have been another one of 'BB'’s creations but it was in fact copied from a tombstone in a north-country churchyard by his father.
The Little Grey Men
The Little Grey Men
The Little Grey Men is a children's novel by Denys Watkins-Pitchford, written under the nom de plume “BB” and illustrated by the author. It was first published in 1942 and has been frequently republished. It tells the exploits of four gnomes, named after the flowers Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder...
was one of Syd Barrett's
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
favourite books; an excerpt from it was read at his funeral.
In 1975 The Little Grey Men
The Little Grey Men
The Little Grey Men is a children's novel by Denys Watkins-Pitchford, written under the nom de plume “BB” and illustrated by the author. It was first published in 1942 and has been frequently republished. It tells the exploits of four gnomes, named after the flowers Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder...
was adapted into a 10 part animated series called Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder and Cloudberry by Anglia Television
Anglia Television
Anglia Television is the ITV franchise holder for the East Anglia franchise region. Although Anglia Television takes its name from East Anglia, its transmission coverage extends beyond the generally accepted boundaries of that region. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional...
in the U.K.