...Mary's love of Art as a child eventually brought her the opportunity to go on to Sidney Cooper School of Art in Canterbury where she received tuition from one of Britain’s most revered cattle artists Thomas Sidney Cooper. She even won a prize to Switzerland and numerous Medals including the Queen’s Prize for Design for ‘A Damask Hanging’. In 1893 she went on to greater heights winning awards including the ‘Princess of Wales Scholarship’, The Rosa Bonheur Prize, and the Owen Jones Medal for a design in Tapestry.

With such talent it was no surprise that Mary went on to study at the Royal College of Art between 1897-1900 and here she found love. Herbert Tourtel was a passionate young poet looking for a talented artist to illustrate his books of poetry, Mary became that person. Herbert penned the affectionate name ‘Portia’ meaning ‘daughter of the Gods’ for her and she affectionately called him Juan, possibly a reference to ‘Don Juan’. On 26th September 1900 they got married in the little Church at Stoke Poges becoming Mary Tourtel.

Mary’s love of animals was reflected in her artistic flair for painting them. Mary Tourtel soon gained commissions to illustrate various children’s
books including ‘A Horse Book’ and ‘Three Little Foxes’ in the Dumpy Books for
Children Series as well as ‘Old King Cole’ and ‘The Rabbit Book’. Having gained
a solid footing as a Children’s Books Illustrator by 1919 she was illustrating
for Express Newspapers, in 1920 Herbert was working as Editor and aware of the
popularity of children’s characters in rival papers they decided that Mary should
create illustrations and Herbert should write accompanying rhyming text.

In 1920, on Monday 8th November, Rupert made his
appearance in  ‘Little Lost Bear’, a
story that began as a serialisation in the newspaper followed directly by
another ‘Little Bear’s Christmas’. At this time there was no concept of how
enduring Rupert’s character would be he was replaced occasionally by other characters
but the endearing little Rupert the Bear won the hearts of the children. Although
sadly Mary and Herbert never had children of their own.

Mary’s husband Herbert died aged 57, she had stayed with him
while he had convalesced in Germany but after his death returned to England where
she threw herself back into her work continuing to draw Rupert for the Daily Express.
Her last Rupert the Bear story before her retirement in 1935 was ‘Rupert and Bill’s
Seaside Holiday’. Perhaps inspired by the resort she had moved to in Wales, Llandrindod
Wells – renowned for its medicinal springs. By the time of Mary’s retirement
she had contributed more than 3,500 illustrations of Rupert Bear and around 87
Rupert Stories during the 15 years she worked on his character.

In 1948 Mary collapsed and it was discovered that she had a
brain tumour. She died in Canterbury at the age of seventy-four. Her love for
her husband had endured throughout the years and she requested to be buried with
his ashes in the Churchyard of St. Martins, Canterbury. True to her animal loving
principles she left monies in her will to the RSPCA and animal charities in Florence,
Naples and Rome. For many years her work as a female illustrator was barely respected
but in recent years she has gained the acclaim she deserved as a talented
female artist who brought great joy to children with her charming illustrations
of Rupert The Bear.