Person    | Female  Born 28/1/1874  Died 15/3/1948

Mary Tourtel

Categories: Art, Children, Literature

Author and artist. Born Mary Caldwell. She studied art and became a children's book illustrator. Her husband Herbert Tourtel, was news editor of the Daily Express. In 1920 the newspaper was looking to produce a comic strip as competition for those in other daily papers. Tourtel suggested his wife, and Rupert Bear was born. In later years, after her eyesight started fading, the illustrations were taken over by Alfred Bestall.

There are two other plaques for her in Canterbury.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Mary Tourtel

Commemorated ati

Mary Tourtel

{Above an image of Rupert Bear:} Mary Tourtel, 1874 - 1948, creator of Rupert...

Read More

Other Subjects

Central School of Arts and Crafts

Central School of Arts and Crafts

Inspired by the School of Handicraft, this college, founded by William Lethaby, merged with St Martin's School of Art, founded in 1854, to form Central St Martins in 1989. Other colleges have merge...

Group, Art, Craft / Design, Education

1 memorial
Hannah Havana

Hannah Havana

Jewellery designer and teacher

Person, Art, Education

1 memorial
Alfred Bestall

Alfred Bestall

Author and illustrator. Born Alfred Edmeades Bestall in Mandalay, Burma. He served in the army during WW1, transporting troops in red double-decker buses. Following his studies at the L.C.C. Centra...

Person, Art, Children, Literature, Burma, Wales

1 memorial
J. M. W. Turner

J. M. W. Turner

Born (on St George's Day) in Covent Garden. Even as he became successful he refused to modify his working-class accent. Lived alone with his father. Had few friends, two mistresses but never marrie...

Person, Art, Seriously Famous

11 memorials
Chisenhale Gallery

Chisenhale Gallery

A non-profit contemporary art gallery. It focuses on a programme of commissioned exhibitions, offsite projects and events, film screenings and talks. Our photograph shows a performance at the gallery.

Place, Art, Dance

1 memorial