Orlando the Marmalade Cat is definitely Aldeburgh’s most famous visitor (sorry, Plumdog): in 1952 he brought his wife Grace and their kittens to stay in Owlbarrow (Aldeburgh), where they stayed on the beached ship the Iona, now no longer in existence. 

In the 1920s Kathleen Hale met Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett Haines in Paris, later frequenting their bohemian Benton End community where they had established the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing. Former students include Lucian Freud and Maggi Hambling. Both Cecil Morris and Arthur Lett Haines had a huge impact on Hale’s life, both appearing in the backgrounds of the Orlando books. Their world can be explored in A Lesson in Art and Life by Hugh St. Clair (hardback £30.00). 

Orlando

Orlando was born during one of Hale’s own adventures through Italy with her husband. The train they were travelling on had pulled into a country station, allowing them to observe a voluminous woman manning a lemonade stand calling for ‘Orlando!’ before a small boy with hair the colour of marmalade emerged from beneath the table. 

Kathleen Hale’s books have been treasured by children and now grown-ups since they were first published. Only two of the many titles are still in print: A Seaside Holiday (hardback, £20.00) and A Camping Holiday (paperback, £7.99).

A poster of this classic image is available in our shop for £12.50 (it measures 16 x 24 inches).

The above scene is of Owlbarrow, in which all the principal sights of Aldeburgh can be seen in one view; a charming impossibility. The humans portrayed in the scene are real characters, either known to Kathleen Hale, or well-known residents of Aldeburgh. Kathleen Hale’s son visited our shop several years ago and identified some of the figures. Kathleen’s husband is floating in the sea to the left of the picture, so he has a clear view of their friend’s back, which apparently he had always admired.

A poster of this scene is available in our shop for £20.00 (it measures 16 x 24 inches).

We also stock wooden jigsaw puzzles of this image in varying sizes, with a 750 piece (£90.00), 500 piece (£59.95), 250 piece (£29.95), 140 piece (£19.99) and a 40 piece puzzle (£7.50). Please note, these are not currently available in 2021. We hope to have them in stock again as soon as possible.

Exclusive to The Aldeburgh Bookshop, we also stock Orlando Postcards (60p each) and an Orlando mug (£12.50).