Alfred Ernest Walter George Aris, FZS, SGA, also known by the pen names Robin A Hood and Dan Crow, (1882–1963), was a writer and illustrator of children's books.
He moved to Bradford, where he attended the Technical College and School of Art, and earned his diploma in 1900, under the tutorship of Charles Stephenson.
"[6] Ernest, who had worked in Windermere, was seemingly aware of the literary identity of Mrs. Heelis and chose to respond in this way as he had already imitated Jemima in his book Mrs. Beak Duck.
"[7] Beatrix wrote direct to Ernest commissioning and ultimately purchasing six drawings for a story, which she had in mind as a gift for her niece Nancy.
Within the month, Ernest has finished the commission, and he forwards the drawings, advising Mrs. Heelis that, "I have not adopted your colour schemes as there was a tendency to be on the sombre side".
[9] Although she advised, "Russet brown and blue grey check (rather than greens) would show well on the elves clothing" [10] Ernest, in his inimitable way, chose red.
She swapped his meadow bedecked with yellow flowers to open fell, but she retained his two Oakmen carrying a bundle suspended from a pole, which had not been a feature of her draft sketch.
[13] He changed publishers and adopted pseudonyms; his work as Robin A Hood is well known, but few are aware that he issued six books as Dan Crow.
He was an inveterate collector, hoarding matchbox labels and stamps as well as cigarette cards; he also enjoyed gardening, and collecting old furniture.
He was obviously good company, as Beatrix Potter described him as both "amusing" [6] and a "scamp",[18] whilst his pal Charles Bayne (the Editor of Little Folks from 1908 to 1915) said that he had an, "endless store of humorous ideas".