According to a sixteenth-century folktale, penniless boy Dick Whittington decided to quit London forever after his employer, Mr Fitzwarren, sent Dick’s beloved cat to sea on one of his merchant ships. Dick had not gone far, however, when he fancied he heard Bow Bells promise he would be Lord Mayor of London, so he turned and went back.

When Fitzwarren’s ship returned from its voyage, it brought a vast treasure: the price of Dick’s cat, purchased by a foreign prince to quell a rodent problem. Fitzwarren handed over every last penny, and after making lavish gifts with his new-found wealth, Dick proposed to Fitzwarren’s daughter. So all ended happily, thanks to the wise investment of one cat.

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