The bequest included an inscribed copy of The Fairy Caravan: ‘For Joe Moscrop in remembrance of Troutbeck Park and the sheep. With kind regards from the author Beatrix Heelis. May 30th 1930’.
In 1929, The Fairy Caravan was published only in America because Beatrix felt it too personal and autobiographical, but a hundred copies were produced in the UK for copyright purposes, and Beatrix distributed them to her friends and – in particular – to local farmers and shepherds. Joe Moscrop’s copy is number 29.
The UK copies contain the frontispiece – a sketch of dogs (shown here and used as the cover image on the October 2017 issue of the Journal and Newsletter) – about which Beatrix wrote: ‘This drawing and several others are not in the American edition. The first chapter was reprinted at Ambleside for “copyrighting” purposes.’
This book, and other items in the bequest, are deposited with the National Trust in the Lake District.
