The result of many years careful and painstaking research, the author has pieced together the life of her godfather Alfred (‘Fred’) Bestall, who illustrated Rupert Bear in the Daily Express for 30 years (the only day he missed was to make way for Churchill’s war speech). The artwork was bequeathed by Fred Bestall to the author with the words — 'you will probably want to make a bonfire of this' — which would have been a tragedy.
Caroline Bott has lovingly collected together and catalogued Fred Bestall's work, which ranges from incisive cartoons for Punch to romantic, dreamy watercolours, as well of course as his Rupert Bear illustrations. Caroline was also bequeathed his diaries, from which, alongside letters, photographs and other archive material, she has drawn together his life. What emerges is a gentle, very generous man, who was loved by all who met him. His diaries include his experiences in the First World War, and his travel diaries include remarkable journeys to Egypt as well as those of his beloved Wales. His fans are as diverse as Prince Charles, Terry Jones and Terence Stamp.
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