Kathleen Hale lived to be an amazing 101 years old ! (1898-2000). You can hear her talking here on Desert island Discs in 1996.
Kathleen lost her father aged only five and her mother supported her family by taking on her former husbands job as a piano sales person. Kathleen, her older sister and brother went to live with relatives, she was encouraged in art at high school and achieved a scholarship to study art at the University of Reading.
'Orlando the Marmalade Cat', and his adventures – were first told to her sons as bedtime stories. The artwork and its reproduction for these stories set a new standard for children’s illustrated books, "A Camping Holiday" and "A Trip Abroad", were accepted for publication in 1938 by Noel Carrington.
Before publication Kathleen took rudimentary instruction for lithography from 'Cowells printers of Ipswich' and developed the lithographed illustrations herself.
I have included two biographical plates as I miss these from modern children's books, and it is wonderful to see Kathleen with the original Orlando.
Below: Illustrations from 'Orlando The Marmalade Cat, A Trip Abroad'.
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