INDEX feature


Writers of note Canterbury and its surrounding area have been home and inspiration for many literary greats, says Denise Smith


Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the Canterbury Tales, springs readily to mind, and poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe.


William Somerset Maugham was brought up in Whitstable by his aunt and uncle, and used his local knowledge in ‘Of Human Bondage’, where Whitstable became Blackstable and Canterbury became Tercanbury. More recently, Joseph Conrad wrote his last fi ve novels at his home in Bishopsbourne.


The literary role doesn’t end in the past though; the current Canterbury locale boasts some good writers, and an excellent creative space. Run by Canterbury City Council, ‘The Little Blue Hut’ on the Tankerton Slopes provides a residency for creative practitioners. Local poets Nancy Charley and Nicky Gould each spent a month there this year. Canterbury also encourages its local authors. The annual John Hayes Canterbury Award rewards the best piece of work relating to Canterbury. Past


winners have included Margaret Sparks, renowned local historian and prolifi c author, whose


1965 book about the Parish of Wytham is still in print.


The 2010 winner was Paul Crampton, with ‘Canterbury Suburbs and Surroundings’. Paul has written fi ve novels, his fi rst, ‘Strangers in Focus’, published in 2005. Canterbury born and raised, Paul has written more than a dozen non-fi ction works. He is currently working on two Canterbury- based books. One


combines religion and history with conspiracy theories. The other is a history of the Cathedral Precincts.


Another local scribe is Laurie Stone from


Blean. He was a journalist when he met Dragons’ Den favourite Theo


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Paphitis. Laurie pitched the idea of ghost-writing his autobiography and the successful entrepreneur and boss of Ryman co-operated. The project culminated in Enter The Dragon being published a couple of years ago.


University of Kent lecturer


Nancy Gaffi eld has also been recognised this year for her fi rst poetry collection, which won the infl uential Aldeburgh Prize. Tokaido Road was published earlier this summer and the poems engage with Hiroshige’s woodblock print series, Fifty Three Stages of the Tokaido. Nancy completed the MA


degree in Creative Writing at the University of Kent in 2009. For information about The Little Blue Hut, see www.creativecanterbury.com


Mary had a


little bear… Most people have heard of the Tourtel roundabout in Canterbury but have you ever wondered where this strange name comes from? It is Mary Tourtel, the creator of Rupert Bear.


Mary was born in 1874, daughter of a stone mason and stained glass artist. After studying at the Sidney Cooper School of Art in Canterbury, Mary became a children’s book illustrator. Mary married Herbert


Tourtel, a sub-editor at the Daily Express. At that time, the paper was in fi erce competition with the Daily Mail, which had a comic strip called ‘Teddy Tail’, and the Daily Mirror’s ‘Pip, Squeak and Wilfred’.


Henry arranged for his


wife to draw a small cartoon feature to compete, and on 8 November 1920, the ‘Little Lost Bear’ was published. Eventually to be known as Rupert, the original bear was brown, only turning white when the Express cut its inking expenses. Mary went on to write 36 episodes. Her stories refer to a magic river. Some say this is the River


Nailbourne, which fl ows through the Elham Valley. A chalk stream, it only fl ows in wet winters and disappears during dry periods. After writing and illustrating 46 books about Rupert, her failing eyesight forced Mary to retire in 1934. She died in 1948 and is buried in St Martin’s Churchyard. Mary Toutel left a great legacy, and some of her original drawings and other Rupert memorabilia can be seen in the Rupert Bear Museum, part of the Museum of Canterbury. Little Rupert’s story time takes place at the


Museum on Thursday 8 December, 10.30 to 11.30am. Join Rupert Bear and friends for stories, singing and a creative activity for 2-5 year olds. The cost is £3 per child, with one accompanying adult free.


Visit www.


downland cycles.co.uk for a route to follow the ‘magic’ River Nailbourne.


15


The INDEX magazine December 2011


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