Laughter in the Long Twentieth Century: David Low & Cartooning Fascism

Posted on July 21, 2025 by Clair Waller

This blog post is written by Dr Amy Matthewson about her experience working on the Beaverbrook Engagement project and exhibition, funded by the Beaverbrook Foundation.

The Vision

It all began with a Call for Proposals from the British Cartoon Archive at the University of Kent. It was for a Visiting Scholar Grant from the Beaverbrook Foundation putting out a call for proposals to do an exhibition based on their cartoons that form part of the British Cartoon Archive’s collection.

Most of the Beaverbrook cartoons are available to view online and as I scrolled through, I was delighted to see that David Low formed a big part of the collection. Low is, arguably, one of the most celebrated political cartoonists of the 20th century and I have always wanted to take a closer look at his work. This grant, if successful, would give me the perfect opportunity to get to know Low, the cartoonist, as well as his work.

I proposed an exhibition exploring the use of humour during the interwar period in Britain. This was a time of uncertainty with a nation only just recovering from the horrors of the First World War, mass unemployment, global economic depression, and the rise of fascism. David Low’s cartoons would form the basis of the study.

The aim was to analyse the role of humour through satirical cartoons during a period of increased social and political tensions. How did Low’s cartoons function as a means of dissipating anxieties while simultaneously lampooning dictators’ and their fascist ideologies?

After waiting (with eager anticipation) for a few weeks, I had an interview and the proposal was a success! I was to spend the next few months researching and organising the exhibition, to be displayed at the Templeman Gallery at the University of Kent.

What is the Story?

Where to begin? I didn’t expect the David Low collection at the British Cartoon Archive to be so extensive and I found myself overwhelmed. Faced with a wealth of cartoons, personal correspondence, and books, the challenge was how to narrow the scope and select materials that will offer a cohesive narrative. What ‘story’ does this exhibition want to tell and how to tell it in a comprehensible way?

The first step was to immerse myself in the collection and I did this with great pleasure (I am a bit of a research geek…ok, a big research geek…). I spent a week going through the collection organising cartoons and correspondence into “Yes, Definitely,” “Maybe” and “No” categories. I didn’t manage to get through everything but felt satisfied with the dent I made in going through as much as I could.

Thankfully, this was not a solo venture. Karen Brayshaw, Special Collections and Archives Manager, and Clair Waller, Digital Archivist, offered valuable curatorial advice with extensive knowledge of their collection. There was also another Visiting Scholar, Dominic Janes, who brought another layer of support and encouragement as he worked through his own exhibition, a fascinating exploration of the LGBTQ+ community through the lens of cartoons. His exhibition was planned to run alongside mine.

Another key pillar to the project was three student interns, Isabel Walford, Freya Francis, and Freja Dixon, recruited through a competitive application process. Their involvement was central to the development and success of the project. And with this incredible team in place, I was well-supported.

When I got home and reviewed the pictures I took as a memory aid, a question kept coming up: What is the story here? Yes, there were many witty cartoons (one of my favourites is Hitler blown up as balloon with the caption, “All Blown up and Nowhere to go”) but I couldn’t simply have an exhibition of randomly compiled cartoons thrown up for viewers to decipher. Or could I?

David Low, All blown up and nowere [sic] to go, Evening Standard, 26 Jun 1933 [DL0741a]

I decided to have a Wall of Resistance as part of the exhibition – a blank wall covered with Low’s cartoons demonstrating his resistance to fascism. But is this enough of a story to tell for the exhibition?

Low… cartoons… fascism… satire… resistance… caricature… blown-up Hitler… so what? Again, the question: What is the story? As I sorted through the cartoons, a story started to fall into place. It’s simple – the cartoons themselves are the story. Far from being merely ‘funny pictures,’ they were sharp criticisms. Severe enough to irritate their satirical targets (Low’s cartoons were eventually banned in Nazi Germany as they annoyed Hitler), powerful enough to communicate complex messages, and effective enough to have editors scrambling to write to Low and ask him to tone things down in order to maintain peace in Europe.

Herein lies the story.

The Cartoon Museum

We planned a trip to Disneyland.

Well, not quite but for those who are enthusiastic about cartoons, the Cartoon Museum in London is as good as Disneyland. Karen arranged our outing to include a private tour led by Hannah Whyte, the Collections Curator, along with a lively discussion with Steve Marchant, the Learning Officer and Comic Art Curator.

However, as often happens, things did not go according to plan. There were severe delays on the train from Canterbury to London and so the student interns were not able to make their way to the museum. The day, however, was not completely lost. Dominic, Karen, Clair, and myself were able to go and we made the best of the situation by taking lots of pictures to share with the interns later.

The day ended the way all really good days end: with coffee and cake and a chance to share our thoughts and ideas. The project was really starting to take shape.

Photos of the Cartoon Museum in London.

Coming Together

The next few weeks were a blur of activity. With the framework of the exhibition in place, we turned our attention to translating our ideas into an engaging and coherent visitor experience. We needed to finalise the narrative boards – the storytelling foundation of the exhibition, as well as select and arrange the cartoons, objects, and supplementary materials in a way that would resonate with our audience.

There was much thought put into the narrative boards. Each board needed to draw out the historical and political contexts without losing the interest of the visitor. The boards needed to provide enough information without being too dense while also conveying complex ideas – the rise of fascism, the power of cartooning, the socio-political function of satire, as well as a reflection on what it is that makes people laugh (or makes people angry).

Panels from the exhibition

Isabel, Freya, and Freja played a crucial role in bringing the exhibition to life; Isabel’s keen eye worked to match images with key themes and narratives on the boards; Freya did research in selecting cartoons, interviews, and music for the listening pod; Freja dove into the archives, selecting books, objects, and other materials of visual interest to add to the exhibition.

Once the material was finalised, we sent everything to Clair for printing. Her technical expertise and familiarity with the Archives were invaluable. Clair meticulously checked every file, making sure everything was ready for installation.

And then… we waited.

Installation and Improvisation

While much of the groundwork had been done before the installation process, the final execution brought a set of challenges. The transition from concept to physical space required flexibility, creative problem-solving, and improvisation. Despite having detailed layouts and measurements, some of the materials did not fit quite where we had imagined, while other areas felt too sparse or too cramped.

There were empty frames waiting to be filled and hung; glass surfaces needed to be cleaned; books were queued for display; objects sat carefully arranged on trolleys; cartoon artwork was laid out across tables. And with every … “oh wouldn’t be great to have this over here…?” and “didn’t I see something that would be the perfect fit…?” there was running back and forth to the archives, deep in the basement (sorry Clair!).

Dominic and I worked closely on the sequencing of exhibits, paying attention to how the narrative would unfold for the visitor. We wanted to make sure our two exhibitions had a connecting thread. We moved shelves in cabinets around allowing for the materials to be better (and more clearly) displayed. Karen and Clair were right there to offer their expertise; Freja, Freya, and Isabel were a constant source of energy and support. They were everywhere: lifting, adjusting, dusting, and arranging and beyond their physical contributions, they offered ideas and suggested reconfigurations to improve the overall feel of the display cases.

Photos of the exhibtion being installed

With the exhibition complete, we then turned our attention on an afternoon workshop that invited two guest speakers: Dr. Harriet Earle, Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University and David Shenton, cartoonist specialising in queer comics. (details here: https://shorturl.at/fKcgZ)

This installation process was perhaps the best experience during my time with the British Cartoon Archive. While the research is always enjoyable, it tends to be a solitary pursuit whereas the installation process required cooperation and collaboration. This was an excellent example of what an exceptional and supportive group of people can do when working together.

The Story

Born in New Zealand in 1891, Low rose to prominence as an artist in Australia during his twenties and in 1919, he arrived in London to begin his career at The Star, a newspaper aligned with Liberal values. A committed Liberal himself, Low once described democracy, despite its flaws, as offering “the best blend of stability and dignity.” In 1924, media tycoon Lord Beaverbrook, invited Low to join his Conservative newspaper the Evening Standard. Low declined but when, four years later in 1927, Beaverbrook asked him again, Low agreed but with some reluctance. The decision drew sharp criticism and aware of these perceptions, Low insisted on maintaining editorial independence, a stance formalised in a contractual clause that distanced himself from the paper’s Conservative political view.

During the 1930s, Low waged a visual war against the rise of dictators’ and their fascist ideology. So much so, that in 1936, Percy Cudlipp, editor to the Evening Standard wrote to Low suggesting “that for the present [Low] avoid the dictators altogether” as was reluctant “to run what will seem to be a cartoonist’s campaign against the dictators.” About a year later in September 1937, Cudlipp wrote again:

You will see from the news that the state of Europe is extremely tense at the present time. That being so, I don’t want to publish anything in the “Evening Standard” which would add to the tension, or inflame tempers any more than they are already inflamed. There are people whose tempers are inflamed more by a cartoon than by any letterpress. So will you please, when you are planning your cartoons, bear in mind my anxiety on this score?

Did Low know the effects his cartoons were having? In May 1942, Low wrote:

Some American cartoonists draw H. [Hitler] and M. [Mussolini] as monsters of brutality eight feet high with big hairy arms covered with whiskers, hands dropping with blood, etc., I’m sure no one is more pleased at this then H. and M. themselves, for that is just the effect they have always striven, with all the arts of propaganda, to create among people just before they go out to defeat them.

That kind of thing no doubt had the effect of building up the idea that Hitler was too, too, too powerful to resist, and contributed to the beating down of the moral front. Personally, I know that the cartoons of mine that got under their skins most were those which made them look like damned fools…

Letter from Percy Cudlipp, editor to the Evening Standard, to David Low

Both the above citations highlight the power of seemingly simple ‘funny’ pictures. Cudlipp was genuinely concerned about the potential of political cartoons in disrupting the fragile peace in Europe. Low was aware of the effectiveness of his cartoons and took great pains to ensure his art was doing exactly what he intended it to do. And it was. The Nazis eventually banned Low’s cartoons in Germany, a move that only amplified his reputation. Empowered with the knowledge that he was hitting his target where it hurt most, Low continued his relentless visual assault on the dictators and their ideologies. Far from silly pictures, cartoons wield considerable power.

Laughter in the Long Twentieth Century is on display at the Templeman Gallery at the University of Kent – on now until early September 2025.

Laughter in the Long Twentieth Century – exhibition and event

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Clair Waller

The British Cartoon Archive at the University of Kent invites you to join us for our workshop, entitled Laughter in the Long Twentieth Century that explores cartoons through the lens of fascism and queerness.

Date: 1 July 2025
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Location: Available both in person (University of Kent, Templeman Lecture Theatre) and online via MS Teams

This event will feature two guest speakers who will explore the ways in which cartoons have served as tools of resistance and reflection over the course of the long twentieth century.

Dr. Harriet Earle, Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. Her research focuses on representations of conflict and trauma in visual culture, especially comics. Her work explores conflict and violence and how this helps to understand PTSD and trauma.
David Shenton, cartoonist, specializes in queer comics. Shenton is known for his work “Controlled Hysteria,” Stanley and The Mask of Mystery, and Phobia Phobia. His comic strips have been featured in the collections Strips Aids, No Straight Lines, and AARGH.

For those able to attend in person, there is a tour of the exhibition Laughter in the Twentieth Long Century after the workshop. The exhibition explores cartoons created in the long twentieth century with focus on the interwar period and the decades that followed. The exhibition explores the rise of fascism and the (in)visibility of LGBTQ+ people and communities since the 1960s through the lens of cartoons, highlighting how humour acted both as a powerful tool of social control but also of resistance and defiance in the face of oppression and uncertainty.

Please RSVP at cartoons@kent.ac.uk

Thank you to the Beaverbrook Foundation for providing the funds to make this event possible.

Sport in Special Collections and Archives

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Christine Davies

With the excitement of both the Euros and Wimbledon, sports fever has gripped Special Collections and Archives, so we thought we’d explore how the two sports have been represented in cartoons across the decades and open the reading room for a free drop in this Friday 12^th July to showcase some of the incredible artworks we hold. Read on for a sneaky preview of the cartoonists whose work will be on display!

Tom Webster (1886-1962)

Tom Webster specialised as a sports cartoonist and pioneered his characteristic “running comment” cartoon style in response to the growing popularity of press photography; “I saw the red light,” he later recalled, “and realised that I had to find something the camera could not do”. After serving as a Lance Corporal in WWI, including action in the Battle of the Somme, he joined Northcliffe’s London Evening News as a sports cartoonist in 1918, and transferred to its sister paper, the Daily Mail, in 1919. His narrative cartoons began life at the sporting events themselves, where he would draw rapidly in pocket sketchbooks, and it proved quite a feat to meet the deadline for the next day’s paper. Equipped with his reference material, Webster explained, “I have to settle the sequence of the episodes, work up to the climax of my comic story, and pencil the whole thing in, within half an hour. This leaves me about three-quarters of an hour for finishing in ink.’ His cartoons were so popular that the Daily Mail provided Webster with a chauffeur-driven Daimler, fitted with an easel, so that he could start drawing on the way back from sporting events to the office. By 1924 he was reputedly the highest-paid cartoonist in the world.

Webster played golf with Herbert Chapman, manager of Arsenal Football Club, and supposedly inspired him with his habit of wearing a red sleeveless sweater over a white shirt to redesign the club’s red shirts in 1933 to incorporate their trademark white collar and sleeves. According to Webster’s family, he produced the design himself, and was rewarded with a shirt signed by the players on the sleeves and the directors on the collar. Webster covered plenty of football matches over the course of his cartooning career, and one player that features frequently in our collection is Charlie Buchan (1891-1960). Buchan started his career with Woolwich Arsenal (as it was then) in 1909, and – following a successful career with Sunderland – returned to Arsenal in 1925, seeing the club to their first FA Cup final in 1927. Webster seemingly makes much of the striker’s height!

Tom Webster cartoon of the Sunderland football team, featuring Charlie Buchan in the front row, centre, towering over the other players.

Buchan (Sunderland). Daily Mail (1921) – British Cartoon Archive, Tom Webster TW0287

Another notable sports personality of the early 20^th century was French tennis player Suzanne Lenglen, the inaugural world No. 1 from 1921 to 1926. Invariably drawn with her short black bob and coloured bandeau, Webster seems less concerned about reporting on her skill, however, than he does in implicating her femininity. One can recognise the same trait in Webster’s contemporary, W. K. Haselden, in whose abstract cartoons about tennis a recognisably similar woman appears.

Tom Webster cartoon of Suzanne Lenglen reprimanding an American press photographer.

Champion of the world. Weekly Dispatch (20 November 1926) – British Cartoon Archive, Tom Webster TW1292

William Haselden (1872-1953)

A self-taught artist, Haselden is principally known as a social cartoonist and he had a steady career with the Daily Mirror from 1904 until his retirement in 1940. He worked with pen and Indian ink on board and developed a special multi-frame format, usually of six images, as his trademark style. He was known to use real people as the models for his cartoons, and his female tennis players often bear a striking resemblance to Suzanne Lenglen (see Tom Webster). His cartoons often satirise social expectations with regard to femininity and fashion, and he defends the short skirt as a pragmatic dress choice for tennis by contrasting it with an array of ridiculous alternatives – from swaddling gowns to custom-made bare leg protectors.

William Haselden cartoon in two sections, the topmost one showing four female tennis players in short skirts, the bottom one showing the same players in long training skirts, in the manner of Kate Greenaway.

If dresses are to be worn longer. Daily Mirror (8 September 1921) – British Cartoon Archive, William Haselden WH3380

William Haselden cartoon ridiculing society's outrage at female tennis players' short skirts.

Bare legs at Wimbledon. Daily Mirror (31 May 1929) – British Cartoon Archive, William Haselden WH4320

Asides from tennis, it’s also interesting what Haselden’s cartoons can tell us about the history of women’s football.

Whilst testimonies exist about women joining in casual community football alongside men as early as the 15^th century, the first recorded match (between England and Scotland) wasn’t until 1881. Women’s football really took off during WWI, in fact it was reported that every town in England developed a women’s team. Naturally, when professional football resumed for men’s teams when the war ended, women’s football experienced an increased ideological backlash and legal action was taken to prohibit women from taking part in organised matches. In 1921, the FA implemented a countrywide ban on women’s football, which wasn’t lifted for fifty years. It is this context which we need to bear in mind when viewing Haselden’s cartoons. On 14^th November 1925, the Daily Mail published Haselden’s cartoon about how rugby is – and ought to be – played. In response to contemporary complaints that the game is too rough, Haselden suggests that efforts to make the sport more genteel would risk emasculating the players. If men should conduct themselves like women on the pitch, how ironic is it, then, that women should be banned from the pitch?

William Haselden cartoon in two sections, the topmost showing rugby players fighting, and the bottom one showing 'civilised' play.

How to play rugby. Daily Mirror (14 November 1925) – British Cartoon Archive, William Haselden WH2589

Richard Willson (1939-2011)

Known principally as a caricaturist, Richard Willson can be said to have started his career proper in 1968 when he was taken on by The Observer. He started working freelance for The Times in 1971, contributing striking profiles for its Business Diary. His career involved freelance work for a wide range of publications, so it is difficult to know precisely which magazine or newspaper these caricatures may have been intended for. Amongst his sets of 80s and 90s sports personalities, Willson has captured footballers Gary Lineker and Vinnie Jones, and tennis players Björn Borg and Martina Navratilova. His fine, cross-hatched style with big heads on small bodies shows the influence of the American caricaturist David Levine; the artworks here have been done in ink and acrylic, which testifies to the spread of colour printing in newspapers since the days of Webster and Haselden.

Richard Willson caricature of 80s sports personalities: Rob Andrew, Gary Lineker, Björn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Brian Lara and Damon Hill.

80s sports personalities (Rob Andrew, Gary Lineker, Björn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Brian Lara and Damon Hill) – British Cartoon Archive, Richard Willson RW0028

Richard Willson caricature of 90s sports personalities: Will Carling, Mike Tyson, Michael Schumacher, Jonah Lomu and Vinnie Jones.

90s sports personalities (Will Carling, Mike Tyson, Michael Schumacher, Jonah Lomu and Vinnie Jones) – British Cartoon Archive, Richard Willson RW0027

Ron McTrusty (1948-2021)

Whilst Ron McTrusty started his career in 1970 as a magazine designer for Women’s Own and Women’s World, his significance for the British Cartoon Archive lies in his caricatures, and a number of notable sports personalities appear across our collection. To conclude this post, I leave you with the great Sue Barker, Tim Henman, Ian Wright and Glenn Hoddle. Come along on Friday to see even more!

Sue Barker – British Cartoon Archive, Ron McTrusty RMT0026

Tim Henman – British Cartoon Archive, Ron McTrusty RMT0507

Ian Wright – British Cartoon Archive, Ron McTrusty RMT1063

Ian McTrusty caricature of Glenn Hoddle.

Glenn Hoddle – British Cartoon Archive, Ron McTrusty RMT0474

50/50 Exhibition – The 50 Selected Cartoons

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Beth Astridge

The 50/50 Project: Celebrating 50 Years of the British Cartoon Archive

In October 2023 we launched our new co-curated exhibition highlighting 50 cartoons representing 50 years of the British Cartoon Archive. The cartoons were selected and researched by a fabulous team of volunteers and we are extremely grateful to them for their participation in this project. So thank you to Angel Robson, Dr Balasubramanyam Chandramohan, Cameron Matthews, Elizabeth Grimshaw, Hannah Robson, Irene Szmelter, Nadia Davies, and Peter McCullen!

The full list of the selected cartoons can be found here in this blog – but do remember to come and see the exhibition in person between October 2023 and February 2024!

The 50 cartoons selected represent the vast breadth of artists, subjects and formats found in the British Cartoon Archive. Together they provide a fascinating introduction to the history of cartooning and tell the stories of political events and people discovered by the volunteers throughout their research.

Themes that emerged in the volunteer research included the history of cartoons, the beginnings of satire, the space race, political events and crises, strikes, the commonwealth, and the cartoons of Carl Giles.

Introduction Panels – Cartoons selected by the British Cartoon Archive staff

“Cartoon No 1: Substance and Shadow”, Punch, Or, The London Charivari, 1843. Reference: Punch, 15th July 1843
Substance and Shadow, Cartoon No. 1, Punch Magazine, 15th July 1843.
Rendezvous, David Low, Evening Standard, 20 September 1939. Reference: LSE2692

Satirical Ceramics in Late Georgian Britain and beyond ;The Emergence of Satirical Print; Historians start to take cartoons seriously

The cartoons for this theme were selected and described by Irene Szmelter:

Pink jug with transfer-prints, Doctor Syntax drawing after nature; Doctor Syntax Disputing his Bill with the Landlady, c.1914-1930s. Reference: Doctor Syntax collection, [uncatalogued]
Plate with transfer-print, Doctor Syntax reading his tour, c.1920-1980s. Reference: Doctor Syntax collection, [uncatalogued]
Plate with transfer-print, Doctor Syntax reading his tour, c.1920-1980s. Reference: Dr Syntax collection, [uncatalogued]
William Combe, The tour of Doctor Syntax, in search of the picturesque : a poem (5th edition, London, 1813) Reference: Derek Schartau Collection PR 3359.C5
Steve Bell, Fashionable Contrasts in Washington D.C (after James Gillray), 2017 Reference: Steve Bell Digital Collection SBD1772
Richard T. Godfrey, James Gillray: the art of caricature (London, 2001) Reference: British Cartoon Archive Library LRG NC 1479.G5 GOD
Martin Rowson, The Contrast 2018 (after Thomas Rowlandson), 2018. Reference: Martin Rowson Digital Collection MRD1228
Dorothy George, English political caricature, 1793-1832 : a study of opinion and propaganda, 1959. Reference: British Cartoon Archive Library, NC 1763.P66 M
McCreery, The satirical gaze: prints of women in late eighteenth- century England, 2004. Reference: British Cartoon Archive Library NE962.W65

Strikes!

The cartoons for this theme were selected and described by Angel Robson:

Cartoon showing the door to Number 10, being opened by Boris Johnson holding an umbrella, with buckets of excrement balanced on the top and about to come down on his head. The buckets are labelled 'Inequality', 'Education' and 'NHS'. Keir Starmer is shown hiding just beyond the opening door and is pulling his mask down.

13: “Come on Everyone! Lockdown’s over and everything’s brilliant!” Martin Rowson Digital Collection, MRD 1634, Daily Mirror, 5th April 2021.

Sidney Strube, – And we’re on our way, Daily Express, Undated. Reference: Sidney ‘George’ Strube Collection, Beaverbrook Foundation GS0070
Jonathon Pugh, “It’s not another eclipse. They’re our rubbish bags”, Daily Mail, 05 September 2017. Reference: Cuttings Collection 106199
Martin Rowson, [Lockdown’s over and everything’s brilliant], Daily Mirror, 05 April 2021. Reference: Martin Rowson Digital Collection MRD1634
Peter Brookes, Hoot if You Support Junior Doctors, The Times, 02 September 2016. Reference: Cuttings Collection 104446
Martin Rowson, [Boris tramples over workers], Daily Mirror, 08 March 2021. Reference: Martin Rowson Digital Collection MRD1622
Michael Cummings, “It’s the Silly Season and the Loch N.U.M. Monster arrives, as usual, on time!”, Sunday Express, 06 September 1987. Reference: Michael Cummings Collection, Beaverbrook Foundation CU1813
Deep Digs! Cartoons of the Miners’ Strike, (London, 1985). Reference: British Cartoon Archive Library NC 1763.S87

Censorship and Saucy Postcards

The cartoons for this theme were selected and described by Nadia Davies:

Typed card with a postcard stapled to it. The postcard shows a man with a large protruding stomach looking out across a beach. There is a lighthouse in the distance. There is a sandcastle on the sand in front of him, and a small boy ('Willy') sitting in a hole digging in the sand at his feet. He cannot see him over his stomach.

Postcard designed by Bob Wilkin, I wish I could see my little willy?, D E & S Ltd.

Typed card titled 'Proceedings' with hand written entries for several rows and columns. Reads - No 1 Date 3.12.52. Court Rhyl. Defendant 5. Result OD. DPP Ref 3290/52; No 2 Date 27.10.54. Court Margate. Defendant 5. Result OD. DPP Ref 3795/53; No 3 Date 27.4.54. Court Margate QS. Defendant 5. Result OD. DPP Ref 456/54; No 4 Date 15.11.57. Court Southwell. Defendant 5. Result NO. DPP Ref 3409/57.

Typed Card from the Crown Prosecution Service recording the prosecutions for obscene postcards that took place for the card on the reverse – I wish I could see my little willy. Prosecutions took place in Rhyl, Margate and Southwell.

Donald McGill, A stick of rock, cock?, Constance Ltd, Undated. Reference: Crown Prosecution Service Collection CP/0363
What rosy cheeks you have my dear, Leslie Lester Ltd, Undated. Reference: Crown Prosecution Service Collection CP/0649
Have you got two big bouncy balls please?, Leslie Lester Ltd, Undated. Reference: Crown Prosecution Service Collection CP/0700
Bob Wilkin, I wish I could see my little willy?, E & S Ltd, Undated. Reference: Crown Prosecution Service Collection CP/0438
Dave Brown, Has anyone seen my little willy?, The Independent, 05 Oct 1999. Reference: Cuttings Collection 52292

Political Events and Crises

The cartoons for this theme were selected and described by Hannah Robson:

Brian Adcock, “So you know the so-called “Special Relationship,” well you are gonna love this!”, The Independent, 6 November 2017. Reference: Brian Adcock Digital Collection BAD0485
Victor Weisz, “McCarthy is dead! Long live McCarthyism!”, Daily Mirror, 7 May 1957. Reference: Vicky [Victor Weisz] Collection, Beaverbrook Foundation VY0890
Michael Cummings, [no caption], Daily Express, 14 November 1986. Reference: Cuttings Collection 44500
Christian Adams, Signed in Blood, Daily Telegraph, 19 October 2015. Reference: Cuttings Collection 103278
Carl Giles, Daily Express Christmas card, c.1947. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/1/4/1/4/1 (GAC0098)

Cartoon for a Christmas Card - of a newspaper seller, sitting near a London bus stop looking serious and downcast, with signs propped against a wall showing the headlines of the newspapers including: Evening Atom bomb latest Sunday Complete list of wars Daily Crime waves everywhere Sunday Taxes may be double Daily H bomb on the way Daily Merry Xmas to all our readers

Carl Giles, Daily Express Christmas card, c.1947. Reference – Carl Giles Trust Collection – CG/1/4/1/4/1 (GAC0098)

Viewing both England and the University of Kent through an Irish lens

The cartoons for this theme were selected and described by Peter McCullen:

Martin Rowson, Backwards, The Guardian, 25 May 2015. Reference: Martin Rowson Digital Collection MRD0654
Ben Jennings, [no caption], Independent, 01 March 2014. Reference: Ben Jennings Digital Collection BJD0121
Ben Jennings, [no caption], Independent, 01 March 2014. Reference: Ben Jennings Digital Collection BJD0200
Carl Giles, “Talking of cheque book journalism, do you think the editor would object to us taking that cab?”, Daily Express, 07 May 1981. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/1/1/1/3002 (GA4259)
Carl Giles, [no caption], Daily Express, 11 November 1958. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/1/1/1/3824 (GA5503)
Wally Fawkes, [no caption], Observer, 14 June 1987. Reference: Cuttings Collection 42646
Tove Jansson, Moomin and Snorkmaiden, Undated. Reference: Tove Jansson Collection TV0002 (Uncatalogued)

Drawing of two moomins by Tove Janssen. Moomintroll is standing wearing a neck tie with moomins on it, facing Snorkmaiden who is looking and pointing at the tie.

Tove Jansson, Moomin and Snorkmaiden, Undated. Reference: Tove Jansson Collection TV0002 (Uncatalogued)

The Space Race

The cartoons for this theme were selected and described by Elizabeth Grimshaw

28. Michael Cummings, Increase of Fares Between London – Mars –Venus – Moon, Daily Express, 27 Jan 1953. Reference: Cummings Collection CU0522

36. Scott Clissold, “Got a spare ticket for the new Star Wars movie, mate?!”, Daily Star, 16 December 2015. Reference: Scott Clissold Digital Collection CLD0549

Colour cartoon of two aliens in a space ship talking to an astronaut on a space walk outside the International Space Station. One of the aliens speaks to the astronaut and says 'Got a spare ticket for the new Star Wars Movie, Mate?!' The astronaut looks confused.

Scott Clissold, “Got a spare ticket for the new Star Wars movie, mate?!”, Daily Star, 16 December 2015. Reference: Scott Clissold Digital Collection CLD0549

37. Osbert Lancaster, “Just think, Gretchen! Halfway to the moon! One day, perhaps, science will be able to tell us how to reach West Berlin!”, Daily Express, 14 Aug 1962. Reference: Cuttings Collection 02019

38. Carl Giles, “Be funny if the Moon Men thought she was an Earth Man and made her their ruler”, Daily Express, 05 Nov 1957. Reference: Carl Giles Trust collection CG/1/4/1/3/12/3 (GAA121419)

The Commonwealth

The cartoons for this theme were selected and described by Dr Balasubramanyam Chandramohan:

Margaret Belsky, “After all why shouldn’t the Queen protest – I expect she gets fed up with the rest of the Commonwealth criticising Britain all the time”, The Sun, 08 January 1969. Reference: Cuttings Collection 14577
Jak [Raymond Jackson], “Je demande que la Grande Bretagne soit chassee du Commonwealth si elle vend des armes a l’Afrique du sud”, Evening Standard, 20 October 1970. Reference: Cuttings Collection 18825
Michael Cummings , “Really, Mr. Stewart, it might come as a merciful release if Britain could be expelled from the Commonwealth”, Daily Express, 25 June 1965. Reference: Cuttings Collection 07292
Carl Giles, “And Rajah – be a good chap and control those long rumbling tummy noises during the Commonwealth speeches.”, Daily Express, 24 November 1983. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/1/1/1/3239 (GA4603)
Will Dyson, Our big brother and the little strangers, Daily Herald, Undated. Reference: Will Dyson Collection WD0597

Will Dyson, Our big brother and the little strangers, Daily Herald, Undated. Reference: Will Dyson Collection WD0597

Ronald ‘Carl’ Giles

The cartoons for this theme were selected and described by Cam Matthews:

44. Carl Ronald Giles, “An appeal has been made for every nurse to be off duty during the inquiry into the Nurses v. Hospital Authorities dispute in Guernsey.” Daily Express, 16th July 1957. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/1/1/1/973 (GA1328)

45. Carl Ronald Giles, “We’ve been thinking about your parrot, Grandma. Supposing we can’t get a turkey for Christmas…” Daily Express, 25th November 1947. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/1/1/1/3787 (GA5454)

46. Grandma Giles doll made by Dorothy Read, Undated. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/5/3/39 (GAX00058)

Image of a doll of the character Grandma created by Carl Giles. Grandma is wearing a black hat with a blue trim, and a black dress. She carries a black handbag with a clasp, and an umbrella with a duck head handle, and is also wearing a brown fur stole.

Grandma Giles doll made by Dorothy Read, Undated. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/5/3/39 (GAX00058)

47. Carl Ronald Giles, “I’m jotting down a list of all the ones who aren’t laughing their heads off.” Daily Express, 17th February 1987. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/1/1/1/3532 (GA5027)

48. Police Helmet, Undated. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/4/1/45 (GAX00085)

49. Ink, paint and paintbrushes from Giles’ studio, Undated. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection (uncatalogued)

50. Carl Ronald Giles, “Well, well, well, well, well! Man have they got your number!” Sunday Express, 1st March 1970. Reference: Carl Giles Trust Collection CG/1/1/2/802 (GA2779)

Cartooning Covid-19 – call for volunteer participants

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Clair Waller

About the project

‘Cartooning Covid-19’ will be a 10-week volunteering project which aims to make available cartoons published in national papers during the Covid 19 pandemic between March and December 2020. Through cataloguing these cartoons, we ensure that this important period in recent history is captured in the cartoon catalogue of the British Cartoon Archive for use in learning, teaching and research.

The British Cartoon Archive collects the cartoons published each week in national newspapers (The Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Independent). This encapsulates work by artists such as Bob Moran, Nicholas Newman, Peter Schrank, Morten Morland, Peter Brookes and more.

To participate in this project please email cartoons@kent.ac.uk.

Practicalities

The project will be carried out using a hybrid model of in-person group sessions and remote virtual cataloguing. However, this opportunity is open to all, so if you do not live locally to Canterbury, you are welcome to join as a fully remote participant. Similarly, if you would prefer to participate in person only, that’s ok too.

Volunteers will be provided with full training as part of the project, including sessions from the archive team about the BCA and the work they carry out to preserve it and make it available, and they will be given access to library resources where possible, such as newspaper archives and both physical and digital cartoon collections.

Volunteers will be given a set of cartoons published between March and December 2020, which they will be asked to catalogue by listing details about the cartoons into a spreadsheet with supervision from the Special Collections and Archives team. At the end of the project the resulting spreadsheets of data will be uploaded to the British Cartoon Archive catalogue alongside digital cartoon copies, making these resources available to the public.

Special Collections and Archives will provide refreshments at in-person events (lunch will not be provided).

Schedule

In-person sessions will be held fortnightly on Tuesdays from 3rd October through to 5th December 2023 (10 weeks). Sessions will run from 10:30-16:00 with an hour break for lunch. For online only participants, you would be invited to attend the welcome day sessions virtually on Tuesday October 3rd, after which you will be provided with digital copies to describe and catalogue.
Optional online drop-in sessions will be scheduled virtually (via Microsoft Teams) for one hour every other week from Thursday 12th October. These sessions will enable Special Collections and Archives to provide virtual support for volunteers between in-person sessions, while also providing an opportunity for socialising and peer support.
Volunteers are encouraged to participate remotely between in-person sessions. Resources will be made available online through Google Drive.

Requirements

There are no specific prerequisites for participating volunteers, however this project will likely suit those with an interest in political satire, art and graphic design, UK politics, or those wishing to learn more about archives.

Volunteers should be comfortable with using websites and online catalogues, and in using spreadsheets.

A laptop will be needed for participation during in-person sessions. These can be supplied by Special Collections and Archives on request, but numbers are very limited so please indicate in advance if this is required. Volunteers are encouraged to provide their own devices where available.

For remote participation, volunteers will need to have their own laptop or personal computer with internet connection, as well as access to a Google account.