How a deathbed confession led to the original Mother Clanger puppet being returned to her family after more than 50 years
A beloved puppet from one of Britain’s best-known children’s television programs was stolen from an exhibition more than half a century ago.
The original puppet of Mother Clanger from the popular TV series The Clangers disappeared in 1973.
The mystery was finally solved when a man confessed to the theft on his deathbed.
The hand-made figure is taken from an exhibition by two 15-year-old boys at an exhibition held in London in 1973.
One of the boys was Michael O’Connor, who admitted putting it in his attic in Ireland.
Just before his death, Michael confessed to his son Michael Burke, who then revealed the figure and contacted Canterbury City Council’s Museums and Galleries team.
The star puppet has now returned to England and is reunited with the rest of his family for an exhibition at the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge in Canterbury, Kent.
Michael and his mother Ellen Burke teamed up with TV show creator Peter Firmin’s daughters Emily, Charlotte and Kate Firmin to bring back the long-lost creature.
The original puppet of Mother Clanger from the TV series The Clangers was stolen from a museum in 1973.
Commander Cornell (left) and Emily Firmin welcomed Sister Clanger home and displayed her with her family
Sister Clanger finally reunited with family after 50 years in Ireland attic
Emily said: ‘This was such a huge surprise. Despite years spent in a box in the attic, Mother Clanger was in remarkable shape and still exuded her unique charm.
‘His wool is faded and the tip of his nose is damaged.
‘We are delighted to welcome him back to the Clanger family.
‘Mum and Dad used to think what naughty kids they were when they were 15, but now they would be full of forgiveness, especially because they told us as soon as they found him.’
Mother Clanger is now on display at the Smallfilms Gallery in The Beaney alongside his family and other Firmin and Postgate favorites such as Bagpuss.
Major Charlotte Cornell, the council’s Cabinet member for culture and heritage, added: ‘For someone who hasn’t been fed Green Soup by the Soup Dragon in fifty years, Mother Clanger doesn’t look too shabby.
‘We are delighted to warmly welcome him back to Canterbury.
‘This heartwarming reunion marks not only the return of a precious work of art, but also the closing chapter of a story filled with wonder, guilt, discovery and ultimately a true homecoming.’
Clangers was a stop-motion animated series about a family of mouse-like creatures living on a small moon-like planet.
It first aired from 1969 to 1974, then was revived in 2015 with the newly created Mother Clanger puppet.
The new series was narrated by Michael Palin and ran for 104 episodes before ending again in 2020.
