Alfred Bestall

Rupert Bear, created by Mary Tourtel, and her husband, first appeared in the Daily Express on the 8th November 1920. For fifteen years, Mary drew and wrote Rupert stories, but when her eyesight began to fail, she decided to hand over to someone else- and that someone was Alfred Bestall.

Bestall was an artist with plenty of experience with children’s books, having illustrated the work of Alfred Dunning and Enid Blyton amongst others. His first story was ‘Rupert, Algy and the Smugglers’ in 1935. His stories about Rupert became livelier and full of gentle humour with beautifully created illustrations.

Having holidayed near Beddgelert as a child, he drew inspiration from the surrounding landscape for his illustrations and in 1956, Alfred bought a cottage at the foot of Mynydd Sygun, in Beddgelert, which he named 'Penlan'. Many of his illustrations of that period are views from that cottage, 'looking out across a broad valley and the fast-flowing River Glaslyn, and proud mountains beyond.’ Beddgelert became his permanent home from September 1980, although he returned to Surbiton several times a year.

Bestall produced his last Rupert story on 22nd July 1965. He was awarded an MBE in the 1985, but was unable to receive this in person because he had bone cancer. On his 93rd birthday, Prince Charles sent him a message, ‘I have heard that you were sadly unable to receive your MBE from the Queen recently. I wanted to send you my congratulations on your award and to wish you a very happy birthday with many happy returns. As a child I well remember your marvellous illustrations of Rupert Bear.’

Bestall died on 15 January 1986, aged 93, at Wern Manor Nursing Home in Porthmadog, Wales. He is buried in Brookwood Cemetery. There is a blue plaque on one of the houses he lived in in Surbiton. His home in Beddgelert is now available as a holiday let and is marked with plaque to commemorating the fact that he lived here.

Penlan

Beddgelert

Wales

You can read about the story of ‘Gelert’ here and find out about Mary Tourtel, Rupert’s creator, here.