|  |  | |  | |  Perhaps better known as the mother of television presenter Jeremy Clarkson, Shirley made her name as the founder of Gabrielle Designs - a tiny spare-room business that started by selling tea cosies in Doncaster, and grew into an international business shipping Paddington Bears all over the world.
With no business experience, no capital, just £100 of backing and a copy of Michael Bond's book for inspiration, Shirley came up with the original - now classic - Paddington Bear. Manufacturing from a collection of ramshackle farm buildings, she was hit by a wave of orders from retailers, as the world went Paddington-crazy.
Shirley tells the fascinating story behind Gabrielle Designs in her heart-warming and hilarious autobiography, "Bearly Believable: My Part in the Paddington Bear Story", published by Harriman House on 23rd June 2008.
To find out more or order a copy of the book, please visit the Harriman House website. |
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Bearly Believable
