About the Artwork

THE TAILOR OF GLOUCESTER published 1903

’The Tailor of Gloucester’ was Beatrix Potter’s own favourite among all her books. She first heard the true story on which it is based when visiting her cousin, Caroline Hutton, who lived near Gloucester. Leaving an unfinished waistcoat for the Mayor of Gloucester in his shop one Saturday morning, a tailor was amazed to find it ready on Monday, except for one buttonhole, for which there was “no more twist”. In reality, his two assistants had secretly completed the job, but Beatrix Potter has the work finished by little brown mice. She adds an extra note of enchantment by setting the story on Christmas Eve, when animals can talk, and weaving in many of her favourite traditional rhymes. The book was dedicated to Freda Moore, a daughter of her former governess “because you are fond of fairy-tales, and have been ill.”