The birth of Mary Poppins

Photo: PL Travers (1899 – 1996)

PL Travers was born Helen Lyndon Goff to parents Margaret and Travers Robert Goff in an upstairs bedroom of the former bank building, now know as The Story Bank. Her father was the manager of the Australian Joint Stock Bank and the family lived in the top storey for a short time.

From a young age PL Travers showed great literary talent, and after completing her education in Sydney worked as a writer, dancer, columnist and actress using the stage name Pamela Lynden Travers. In 1924, she moved to England where she used the name PL Travers for her writing. Her great interest was in myths and folklore.

In 1934, the first of her six-part Mary Poppins series about a magical no-nonsense nanny was released. It was an immediate success and the series went on to be translated into more than a dozen languages and was immortalized in the famous 1964 Disney musical film of the same name.

“Mary Poppins is the story of my life.”  PL Travers.

PL Travers died in London on April 23, 1996. She continued writing until her death and never lost interest in the world of myths and storytelling.