Since the 1930s, the ‘House’ has been a selection of different businesses, including a bakery, a grocery store, a cleaning and dying service.

It was in a lane that originally ran alongside the precinct wall of St Peter’s Abbey – now the Cathedral. Historically, the original building on the site of the House of the Tailor of Gloucester can be traced back to 1535. And the queerest thing about it is – that I heard it in Gloucestershire, and that it is true – at least about the tailor, the waistcoat, and the “No more twist!”īeatrix later reworked the story and this became the edition Frederick Warne published in October, 1903. Presumably, Beatrix Potter had already formed the story in her mind but it was not until 1901 that the tale was committed to paper as a Christmas present for the daughter of one of her tutors, Freda Moore.īecause you are fond of fairy-tales, and have been ill, I have made you a story all for yourself – a new one that nobody has read before. Whilst visiting, Beatrix sketched some of the beautiful buildings in the cathedral city of Gloucester, including 9 College Court. On hearing this, Beatrix requested that they visit Gloucester the next day to visit the Tailor’s shop, number 45 Westgate Street. From this date, John Pritchard advertised his work had been ‘made at night by fairies’.

The Tailor was amazed and bewildered that the work had been finished short of completion. A tiny note was pinned to the button hole which read, “ no more twist”. Closing his shop one Friday evening, with a waistcoat cut out but not sewn together, he was surprised to discover when, on the Monday morning he opened the shop again, to discover that apart from one button hole, the waistcoat had been sewn together. Whilst at the Hutton’s home, Harescombe Grange, which lies five miles south of Gloucester, Caroline told Beatrix the curious tale of a local Tailor, John Pritchard. The inspiration for this story came in May 1894 when Beatrix Potter was staying with her cousin, Caroline Hutton. Number 9, College Court, standing beside the ancient St Michael’s Gate, was the building Beatrix Potter chose for the setting of her story, The Tailor of Gloucester.

The tailor of gloucester first edition