Julia Lockwood (b.1941) wore this jerkin in the title role of Peter Pan by J.M.Barrie (1860-1937). Its construction of individual autumn-coloured leather leaves beautifully suits the mercurial Peter, a character whose costumes traditionally recall his outdoor life, at one with nature. A vent in the back of the costume allowed for the wire to be attached to the flying harness worn underneath the costume.

Julia Lockwood played Wendy to her mother Margaret Lockwood’s Peter in the 1957-1959 and 1958-1959 theatre seasons, but took over as Peter in 1959-1960, playing it again in 1960-1961, 1963-1964, and 1966-1967. The critic of The Daily Telegraph, Patrick Gibbs, wrote of her performance (18 December 1959):

'There is much to be said for a youthful Peter Pan. It was said very eloquently last night by Julia Lockwood in the annual revival of Barrie's play at the Scala last night... It is a part in which appearance is half the battle, and this Miss Lockwood won immediately and easily by looking with her cropped hair and clean-cut features very much the boy of phantasy... To this impression her grace of movement contributed much - no Peter that I recall has flown so gracefully or with less apparent anxiety.'

Julia Lockwood later recalled how memorable it was playing Peter and that he 'really got under her skin'. She presented the jerkin to the V&A in 2004, along with a belt worn as Peter Pan by Jean Forbes-Robertson (1905-1962) that Jean Forbes Robertson gave to her in the 1960-1961 season (S.1231-2014).