Jean Adamson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jean Adamson MBE
Adamson in 1957
Born	(1928-02-29)29 February 1928 Peckham, London, England
Died	15 December 2024(2024-12-15) (aged 96)
Occupation	Writer illustrator
Education	South London Emergency Grammar School
Alma mater	Goldsmiths, University of London
Period	1951–2024
Genre	Children's literature
Notable works	Topsy and Tim
Spouse	Gareth Adamson ​ ​ (m. 1957; died 1982)​

Jean Adamson, who was awarded an MBE, was a British writer and illustrator of books for children. She was born on 29 February 1928 and passed away on 15 December 2024. Jean is most famous for the Topsy and Tim books, which first came out in 1960. These popular books have sold over 27 million copies! You might also know Topsy and Tim from TV, as their adventures were shown in 84 episodes.

Jean Adamson's Early Life

Jean Adamson was born in Peckham, London. Her father, Charles Bailey, was a school teacher.

When Jean was a child in the 1930s, she loved visiting Nunhead Library with her mother. She discovered the children's section and quickly became hooked on reading. She read many classic children's books, like Just William and Wind in the Willows. Jean's father would often take her for walks and tell her stories from ancient Greece.

Jean was a very creative child. At Ivydale Primary School, her friends called her 'magic fingers' because she was so good at drawing. She loved looking at the pictures in books and even added her own drawings to the empty pages. Jean wrote her first stories when she was just 10 years old. She became interested in writing for children when she helped in a nursery during World War II, at age 16.

Jean Adamson's Education Journey

School Days

Jean went to Ivydale Primary School. In 1939, she won a scholarship to Grammar School. However, her schooling was interrupted by World War II. She moved to different schools as she was evacuated to various parts of the country. Eventually, she attended South London Emergency Grammar School.

Jean spent many happy hours in the school library, looking at beautiful art books. This love for art led her to Goldsmiths College of Art, where she focused on illustrating books. At 16, she won a scholarship to study illustration and design there.

Studying at Goldsmiths College of Art

In 1944, Jean started studying at Goldsmiths College. She loved being able to draw all day! The college was still affected by the war, with parts of it damaged.

At Goldsmiths, Jean learned about the history of book illustration and how books are printed. She studied for five years and had famous teachers like Graham Sutherland. In 1948, Jean graduated and then taught illustration and design at Goldsmiths for another five years.

Meeting Gareth Adamson

Jean met her future husband and writing partner, Gareth Adamson, while they were both studying at Goldsmiths. They both loved toy theatre, which later inspired them to create animated TV shows together. After college, they kept in touch and later married.

Jean Adamson's Early Career

First Books and Illustrations

After graduating, Jean worked as an art teacher at Goldsmiths and also as a freelance artist. She designed greeting cards and even published her own book. In 1952, she started to become known as an illustrator.

Her first self-published book was The Little Circus (1951), a rag book she printed herself. It was a funny story about a tiny animal circus. Her first big job was illustrating The Tired Train (1952), a collection of stories by Leila Berg.

Creative Rope Designs

Jean also created art using ropes. She made sculptures and decorations. One of her biggest projects was designing a huge lion, unicorn, and crown sculpture for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.

This giant sculpture was nearly 25 feet tall and weighed half a ton! Jean and a fellow student made a small model first, then built the huge version. They worked for seven weeks in a house full of artists.

Working in Cartoon Animation

After freelancing, Jean joined a cartoon animation film unit in London. This was her first full-time job as an illustrator. She loved it! The unit made cartoon commercials and longer films.

Jean was a "storyman," which meant she created the stories and characters for the films. She explained that a two-minute film needed thousands of drawings, and a ten-minute film could take six months to make. This experience helped her become very good at designing characters and telling stories.

Jean and Gareth Adamson's Partnership

In 1957, Jean married Gareth Adamson. Gareth also wanted to write and illustrate children's books. He had worked in advertising, just like Jean. They both shared a dream of creating books and animations.

Animated Stories for TV

Jean and Gareth's shared love for toy theatre and animation led them to create animated stories for Yorkshire TV. Some of their works, like Puppet Caravan and Tom Builds a House, were shown on a TV program called My World from 1970 to 1975.

They also had Topsy and Tim book reading sessions broadcast on TV, sometimes with simple animated parts.

Starting Topsy and Tim

In 1957, the Adamsons bought a house in Alnwick. It was there that they started writing the Topsy and Tim books.

In 1960, the first Topsy and Tim books were published. Jean and Gareth noticed that there weren't many books about everyday children in the 1950s. They wanted to create stories about a brother and sister learning and exploring their world. Their books were special because they were in full color, which was unusual at the time.

Working Together on Topsy and Tim

Jean and Gareth worked very well as a team. Jean would research and plan the basic plot, and Gareth would write the story. Then, Jean would create the illustrations.

Jean always made sure that Topsy and Tim were treated equally in the stories. She would sometimes change the names around if she felt Tim was getting all the best adventures! She wanted to show that both boys and girls could get dirty and have exciting experiences.

The Topsy and Tim stories show the everyday adventures of the twins, like going to the park or the doctor. Jean's illustrations matched the text perfectly. Her experience in animation helped her draw home settings in a welcoming way. Gareth's writing made the everyday world seem magical and full of discovery.

Other Books by the Adamsons

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Jean and Gareth published many other books.

Jean's Books

Jean wrote and illustrated several children's books on her own, such as ABC: A Picture Alphabet (1962) and Animal Bounce (1969). She also worked with Gareth on books like Neighbours in the Park (1962).

Gareth's Books

Gareth wrote fun and informative books, like Mr Budge Buys a Car (1965). He also wrote popular fables, such as Old Man Up a Tree (1963), which was praised by reviewers.

In 1965, Gareth won a £500 prize for his play, The Patternmaker, in a BBC competition.

Gareth Adamson's Passing

Sadly, Gareth Adamson passed away in 1982 from a brain tumor. This was a very difficult time for Jean. She had to continue writing and illustrating Topsy and Tim by herself for many years. It was hard, but she found comfort in continuing the work they had started together.

Topsy and Tim Continues

Around the time of Gareth's death, Jean started to develop a new art style for Topsy and Tim.

Later, Ladybird became the new publisher for Topsy and Tim. By the end of the 1990s, there were about 150 Topsy and Tim books, plus CD-ROMs and videos.

Jean continued to design and write new Topsy and Tim books for 40 years. She started working with another artist, Nancy Hellen, who would color in her images. This helped keep Topsy and Tim looking fresh and modern. Jean still guided the design, and Nancy created the artwork with bright colors.

Jean Adamson loved gardening, painting, and spending time with her grandchildren. She believed that the ordinary world is a magical and fascinating place.

Public Appearances

For many years, Jean Adamson often visited libraries, playgroups, nurseries, and schools. She would give talks and read to children. The people she met on these visits often inspired new Topsy and Tim stories.

New Topsy and Tim Art Styles

In 2009, Topsy and Tim got a new art style. Belinda Wolseley took over the illustrations, basing them on Jean Adamson's original drawings.

In 2020, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the books, Topsy and Tim On the Farm was republished with Jean Adamson's original illustrations.

Jean Adamson's Passing

Jean Adamson passed away on 15 December 2024, at the age of 96.

Awards and Recognition

Jean Adamson received an MBE in 2000 for her amazing work in children's literature. In 2016, she was made an Honorary Fellow of Goldsmiths College.

Jean Adamson's Publications

Known Publications (besides Topsy and Tim)

Known Joint Publications with Gareth Adamson (besides Topsy and Tim)

Jean and Gareth Adamson's Original Yorkshire TV Productions

Images for kids

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  Front cover illustration of "Topsy and Tim's Caravan Holiday" by Adamson