Jean Adamson, the beloved author behind the Topsy And Tim series, has sadly passed away at the age of 96, her family and publisher Ladybird have confirmed. The news was announced on Sunday, December 15, with a heartfelt statement from Jean’s family: “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Jean Adamson. Jean was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, author… whose kindness and warmth touched the lives of all who knew her.”
They added: “Her presence will be greatly missed, but her memory will live on in the hearts of her family and all those she loved or that remember her through her stories. Although we will take this time to mourn her loss, we will also ensure to celebrate her remarkable life.”
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Ladybird paid tribute to Jean as “one of our most beloved and respected children’s book creators, best known for creating Topsy and Tim with her late husband Gareth Adamson”.
They noted: “The characters of Topsy and Tim first appeared in Topsy and Tim’s Monday Book, originally published by Blackie in 1960. At the time, the children’s book market was dominated by Noddy and Thomas the Tank Engine, and it was unusual for ordinary children to be the lead characters in picture books.”
They concluded: “For the Adamsons, having children at the centre of the narrative was part of the magic of the stories. In their eyes, the books didn’t need any fantastical elements, ‘because all the world is magic for children’. Jean said the choice of girl and boy twins was a way of ensuring gender equality.”
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Ladybird proclaimed: “Topsy and Tim has delighted children for over 60 years, and the series, later published by Ladybird Books, hasn’t been out of print in all that time.”
The beloved character from our childhoods, Topsy and Tim’s co-creator Jean Adamson was a staple in the lives of countless children, reports the Mirror. Born in Peckham in 1928, she attended grammar school before bagging a scholarship to study at Goldsmiths College, London, where she specialised in illustration and design, both teaching and working as a freelance artist.
Her life changed when she met her future husband and creative partner, Gareth, at Goldsmiths; they tied the knot in 1957 and embarked on a journey creating cherished children’s books. The couple moved to Newcastle, and there, they invested their talents into bringing Topsy and Tim to life – Jean with her meticulous research and illustrations, Gareth penning the stories.
They weren’t only bound to books; their work leapt to the small screen with original animations for Yorkshire TV in the ’70s. The franchise saw even more success with an animated series in 1984, and more recently, a live-action version on CBeebies capturing hearts and winning awards, including a BAFTA Pre-school Live Action award in 2016.
Jean Adamson’s contributions to children’s literature were officially recognised when she was awarded an MBE in 1999, followed by an Honorary Fellowship from Goldsmiths College in 2016.
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