Florence Kate Upton facts for kids
Florence Kate Upton (born February 22, 1873 – died October 16, 1922) was an artist and writer. She was born in America but lived in England for much of her life. Florence is best known for creating the character called the Golliwogg, who appeared in many popular children's books.
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Florence Upton's Early Life
Florence Upton was born in Flushing, New York. Her parents were British and had recently moved to America. She was the second of four children in a family that enjoyed being creative.
Florence's father, Thomas Harborough Upton, worked at a bank in New York. In 1884, when Florence was about 11, her family moved to Manhattan. This made it easier for her father to get to work. Near their new home was the National Academy of Design. This school offered free art classes to talented students. Florence's father started taking evening classes there. When Florence was 15, she joined him, beginning her official art training.
Starting Her Career
In June 1889, Florence's father sadly passed away. This made things financially difficult for the family. Florence's mother, Bertha, was a trained singer and began giving singing lessons at home. Florence, at age 16, started working as a professional illustrator. She drew pictures for many magazines and books that featured stories and advertisements.
Eventually, the family's money situation improved. In 1893, they were able to visit Bertha's relatives in Hampstead, London. Florence had already made a name for herself with her published work in New York. So, it was easy for her to find work with publishers in London. When her family returned to the United States, Florence decided to stay in England. She wanted to earn enough money to continue her art studies.
Creating the Golliwogg
Florence began working on ideas for a children's book. She used small wooden dolls as her models. However, she needed a main character to tie the story together. Her aunt, Kate Hudson, found an old toy in her attic. This toy had belonged to the Upton children during an earlier visit. Florence named this toy "Golliwogg." This character gave her the inspiration she needed, and she finished the first story in 1894.
The publishing company Longmans, Green & Co. offered her a contract. The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwogg was published for Christmas in 1895.
While in London, Florence also drew illustrations for famous magazines like The Strand Magazine and Punch. After three years, she returned to New York to study art further. She also studied in Paris and Holland. In 1906, she moved back to London permanently.
Over the years, Florence and her mother, Bertha, worked together on 13 Golliwogg adventures. Bertha wrote the words for the books. The last Golliwogg book was published in 1909.
Later Art Career
Florence continued to study and paint, focusing mostly on portraits. She showed her artwork at important places like the Royal Academy. She quickly became known as a skilled portrait artist, especially for painting people in high society. She also received many requests to paint portraits of young soldiers and their families.
During the First World War, Florence was not healthy enough to serve in the military. Instead, she helped the war effort by donating her original dolls and drawings. These were sold at an auction in 1917 to raise money for the Red Cross. The dolls sold for a lot of money, which helped buy an ambulance. This ambulance was named 'Golliwogg' and was used in France during the war.
Death and Legacy
Florence Upton passed away on October 16, 1922, at the age of 49. She died from problems after surgery. She is buried in Hampstead Cemetery.
The original Golliwogg and Dutch Dolls were kept for many years at Chequers, a country home for the Prime Minister. Today, you can see them at the V&A Museum of Childhood in London.
The Golliwogg character was incredibly popular when it first came out. Florence Upton's friend, Edith Lyttelton, remembered how much children loved the stories. She said that a new Golliwogg book was a huge event in many homes.
Florence did not get a patent for her character. This meant that many toy companies started making Golliwogg dolls because they were so popular. Other writers and illustrators also used the character in their own stories. In 1910, a jam company called James Robertson & Sons chose the Golliwogg as their mascot. It remained their mascot until 2002.
Later, some authors, like Enid Blyton, started showing golliwogs as naughty characters. The name "golliwog" also began to be used as a mean word for people who were not white. Florence Upton was upset by this. She said she was "frightened" by the negative meanings people started to find in the name.
Images for kids
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Florence Kate Upton, circa 1895
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Illustration for The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwogg, 1895
