Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote a number of successful novels and plays.
The Llewelyn Davies family living near Kensington Gardens played an important part in Barrie's literary and personal life, consisting of Arthur (1863–1907), Sylvia (1866–1910, daughter of George du Maurier), and their five sons: George, John (Jack), Peter, Michael and Nicholas (Nico). Barrie became a regular visitor at the Davies household and a common companion to Sylvia and her boys. The character of Peter Pan was invented to entertain them.
Although he continued to write successfully, Peter Pan overshadowed his other work. Before his death, he gave the rights to the Peter Pan works to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, which continues to benefit from them. The Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens was erected secretly overnight for May Morning in 1912.
(source: wikipedia)