TRIBUTE TO RUPERT BEAR

 The Ca

The Canadian press baron Lord Beaverbrook noted, at that time, all the other newspapers had some cartoon characters to entertain the children. He demanded from his staff to invent a cartoon character for his paper. Everybody in Fleet Street knew that when Lord Beaverbrook wants something it has to be produced promptly.

Several tried but were not successful. Herbert Tourtel, a paper's sub-editors, suggested his wife Mary. She won a scholarship at the art school and just graduated. The American editor RD Blumenfeld agreed to it.

On 8 November 1920 the first part of Mary Tourtel's serial appeared. It was a single framed drawing of a little bear with a scarf, sweater and checked trousers. His mother sent him to the market to buy honey, fruit and eggs

Rupert was told not to stray when his mother sent him to the market. He didn't listen and got lost. From thereon he battle with ogres, giants and monsters. Various animals led by the Wise Old Goat.

Mary Tourtel was drawing the strip till 1935. She had to give it up because her eyesight was failing. As a retirement gift she received royalties from her reprinted work. Her place was taken by Alfred Bestall who was a bachelor and son of Methodist missionaries. He worked previously for Punch and Tatler but found it a taunted task because of the influence over children.

Canterbury is Mary Tourtel's birthplace.

Ninety years on Rupert is still loved by everyone. His annuals are still bestsellers and rare vintage copies selling up to £20,000. He is introduced to the next generation of pre-school children. The Rupert Bear museum in Canterbury celebrated the 90th anniversary.

Bestall's workload was huge because of the popularity of his little bear. There were annuals, quarterly booklets and two pictures a day for the paper to be done. Each picture took about three hours to draw. If he was ill or went on holiday he had to draw nine hours a day just to keep up with it. His god-daughter Caroline Bott brought out a biography called 'The Life and Works of Alfred Bestall' to coincide with the 90th anniversary edition.

He drew the daily strip till 1965 and went on producing covers for annuals till 1973. He received the MBE in 1985. He died at the age of 92 in 1988