Supported by Voices Gloucester, Murmur has produced two bold, exciting, external murals that celebrate former Gloucester Mayor Ralph Fletcher (1780 -1851) .
Ralph’s story is incredible, but has not been celebrated before. Ralph is thought to be a father of the animal rights movement and wrote the first papers on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals*. He lived on Eastgate Street some 200 years ago and left money in his Will to feed stay cats. He also gave a Shilling to coachmen who had well looked after horses – hoping it would encourage better treatment.
Murmur visited the archive and laid hands on Ralph’s Will and other papers showing that in 1805 Ralph married Elizabeth Owen at the parish church of St Michael and they went on to have four children. Ralph was the mayor of Gloucester twice (in 1818 and 1828) and was a well known doctor at the Gloucester Infirmary on Southgate Street and the “Lunatic Asylum” on Horton Road. In 1816 he was listed as the Sheriff on the List of The Poll. Burial records show he was interred in St. Mary de Crypt Church in 1851 . Murmur is pleased to learn that Ralph was also a collector of art.
The animals of Gloucester owe a big thank you to Ralph. Some of them may even be decedents of the animals he supported. And the animal-loving people of Gloucester need to have the opportunity to learn about a proud Gloucester story.
Mural 1 – The Man Who Fed The Cats
The first mural mural depicts Ralph himself feeding the stray cats in the city. There are no known portraits of Ralph – so Murmur has “channeled the spirit of him” to create the image on the mural. If you would like to visit the first mural, it is on the corner of Wellington and Arthur Street in Gloucester on the wall of Wellington Stores. What3Words /// plan.swing.first. This is on the land once owned by Ralph.
Mural 2 – The thank you wall
This wall contains 32 images of cherished pets of Gloucestershire residents – many of them taken from photographs provided by residents of Westbourne Care Home and listeners to BBC Radio Gloucestershire where Murmur called for photographs. This video tells some of the stories from Gloucester residents.
If you would like to visit the second mural, it is on Longsmith Street in Gloucester. What3Words ///clubs.rating.museum
Mural Walk
On Sunday 13th September 2026 the current Mayor of Gloucester, Adrian Graham and a number of townsfolk came to meet Ralph and visit the two mural. Thank you for those that came on the walk.
Thank you again to Voices Gloucester, but also big thanks to the Ask Gloucestershire team; the Heritage Hub; Westbourne Care Home staff and residents; the City Council; the County Council; the painting assistants; and the many passers by who stopped for a chat – many of them sharing stories of their own special animal friends.
Download Murmur’s social media diary of the mural making here 👇🏼
If you have any questions, please get in touch info@murmurwallart.com
*1833 he authored Sketches from the Case Book – thought to be the first reference to psychosomatic illness. 1846 he published A Few Notes on Cruelty to Animals; on the Inadequacy of Penal Law; on General Hospitals for Animals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Few_Notes_on_Cruelty_to_Animals
