Beatrix Potter: Life, Art & Legacy Early Life and Education Born Helen Beatrix Heelis on July 28, 1866, in London to Rupert William Potter and Helen Leech Potter. Her parents were from wealthy, artistic families with Unitarian beliefs. Beatrix received a largely isolated upbringing, educated by governesses due to societal norms of the time. She developed a keen interest in natural history from a young age, meticulously observ…