Beatrix Potter's Favourite Tale

Philip Glassborow recounts the tale of the original version of The Tailor of Gloucester - Beatrix Potter's personal favourite.

He also learns about the author's attachment to the many traditional songs and carols which were included when the book was first published in 1901 but excised from the more familiar later version.

With Finty Williams as Beatrix Potter.

It was after a visit to Gloucester that Beatrix Potter became fascinated by the true story behind the miraculous tale of grateful mice stitching the mayor's wonderful waistcoat after the tailor himself had fallen ill and there was no no more twist.

Potter transformed this into The Tailor of Gloucester and sent it as a gift to Freda, the little daughter of her old governess. She published this privately, including many local songs and carols associated with the old legend that on the stroke of midnight on Christmas eve, the animals are able to speak.

As she had anticipated - and in spite of the astonishing success of her first book, Peter Rabbit - Frederick Warne declined to publish this and eventually brought out a version stripped of most of its music.

Philip Glassborow tracks down the sources of this music and explores Potter's passion for it and the traditions at the heart of the story.

Producer: Beaty Rubens

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2012.

Beatrix Potter's The Tailor of Gloucester restored with its original Chistmas music