In 1929, J. M. Barrie gifted Peter Pan rights to a hospital; UK law protects its royalties

In 1929, Peter Pan author J. M. Barrie gave his rights to a London children's hospital; 97 years later, the gift still supports seriously ill children (Image Credit: GOSH Hospital) A fictional boy who never wanted to grow up has helped support generations of seriously ill children in London. In 1929, Scottish author J. M. Barrie gave the rights to Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), turning one of literature's best-known stories into a lasting source of support for the institution. According to the hospital's official history, Barrie was invited to join a committee helping the hospital acquire land for a new wing. He declined but later donated his rights to Peter Pan. Nearly a century later, the gift continues to benefit the hospital, with a special provision in UK law protecting its right to receive royalties.Why J. M. Barrie gave Peter Pan to the hospitalBarrie, whose full name was James Matthew Barrie, had supported Great Ormond Street Hospital for years before making the donation. The hospital's history records that he was invited in 1929 to join a committee tasked with helping acquire land for a new wing. He declined the invitation but said he hoped to find anoth...