THE man who turned the humble mouse into a symbol of high-quality craftsmanship is being celebrated at the home of the world's most famous vet.

Renowned carpenter Robert "Mouseman" Thompson is featured in a display at the World of James Herriot, in Thirsk.

Mouseman furniture, which comes from the nearby village of Kilburn, is close to the heart of the Herriot name.

Alf Wight, the author-vet to whom the centre is dedicated, spent some of his first wages as a married man on a Robert Thompson coffee table.

It sat in the living room of his and wife Joan's upstairs flat in Kirkgate, Thirsk - now part of the centre - and it stayed a familiar piece of furniture until his death ten years ago.

The craftsman, who was born in 1876 and died in 1955, was given his nickname after the tiny mouse he carved on all his work. The display features a carpenter's workshop, complete with workbench and tools and a half-made table.

There are also finished pieces of furniture and information panels about the work of Robert Thompson.

Each piece of Mouseman furniture is entirely handmade and is the sole responsibility of one craftsman. All feature the trademark mouse. It is made only in Kilburn and features in homes and public buildings around the world.

Centre manager Sue Dalton said: "Robert Thompson's work is known worldwide in much the same way as Alf Wight's writing is."

Published: 24/03/2005