The Alison Uttley Literary Property Trust and the Trustees of the Estate of the Late Margaret Mary Mears (Author) Alison Uttley (1884-1976) said of her characters, "Why do children love them? Because I believe in them." She grew up at Castle Top Farm in Derbyshire, and her passion for the countryside comes across vividly in her timeless Little Grey Rabbit stories. Margaret Tempest (Illustrator) Margaret Tempest (1892-1982) illustrated these classic tales with such vitality that the characters come to life with warmth and wit. Her partnership with Alison Uttley lasted for forty years.