BOUNCING ALONG

This past week has seen a series of events, all of which could lend themselves to an old cartoon. The start of the Easter School Holidays, the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, the Hong Kong Sevens Rugby, and the advent of British Summer Time and the annual battle with all the various digital time keeping devices programmed into every piece of equipment nowadays. The final of Dancing On Ice and the start of the Formula One World Championship. Out of all these I plumped for a Motoring Cartoon from the early 1920’s by George D Armour (1864-1949), showing the dangers that driving at speed can bring.

Transcript below:

MRS O'BRIEN: (who has been instructed that she must on no account speak to the chaffeur when driving). "Chaffeur! chaffeur! I must spake! Mrs Rafferty hasn't been on the back sate of the kyar fur the last ten minnuts!"

WOOF WOOF !

The Annual Crufts Dog Show has just announced the winner of the Best in Show from a total of 21,000 other dogs. This annual competition organised by the Kennel Club, began in 1891 and celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. The Best in Show prize has been awarded for the past 83 years, during which time 41 different breeds have won the title. This year a black flat coated retriever called ‘The Kentuckian’ was declared Best in Show, and a Basset Griffon Vendeen resplendent in the name ‘Soletrader Peek A Boo’ was Reserve Best in Show. The names folk give their dogs are often weird and wonderful, though pedigree breeds often have to have these grandiose names to show their lineage. Thankfully the Best in Show retriever is just called ‘Jet’ when he’s home in South Queensferry, Scotland. George S Dixon (b. 1890) cartoon highlights the often very British obsession with dogs being virtually human in many owners eyes.

Transcript below:

OLD LADY: "Now, before you give him his food I want you to say, 'Diddums Dinkie want oos dindins?' And if he yawns he's not quite ready."

THE TYRANNY OF SLANG

World Book Day this week was an ‘event’ designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading for the enjoyment of all. Children especially are encouraged to explore the pleasures of books and reading, and so build up a love of words. Writing narratives in any novel often relies on the use of slang to add an air of authenticity to the story, depending on the characters and where they are placed in society. Frank Reynolds (1876-1953) cartoon highlights the pitfalls of the use of slang in everyday life!

Transcript below:

MISTRESS TO NEW MAID: "Mary, you haven't half dusted the drawing-room."
MARY: (highly gratified). "Ah, not 'alf I 'aven't."

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

St. Valentine according to ancient history was an early Christian martyr, executed on February 14th and established as a Saint by Pope Gelasius in 500AD. This was deleted from the Roman Calendar of Saints in 1969, but it has traditionally been a day when lovers expressed their affection for one another. Since the 19th century hand-written Valentine Cards have given way to mass produced greetings cards. By the second half of the 20th century all manner of gifts were being exchanged and now this practice has extended to the internet where an estimated 15 Million e-Valentines were sent in 2010.

Whatever the thoughts behind the commercialism of Valentines Day, it has traditionally been one of romance and courtship, and this is highlighted by Leo Cheney’s (1878-1928) excellent cartoon from the early 1920’s.

Transcript below:

MURIEL: "Before I consent to marry you, Archie, I must ask you one thing.
Do you ---- er ---- drink anything ?"
ARCHIE: (proudly). "Anything."

WARTIME AIR RAIDS

This week in 1940 during World War II the Blitz began, when 348 German bombers strafed London in the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. While the Great War (1914-1918) as it was known then, had relatively few air raids in comparison, there was still the threat of an attack from the air by the Zeppelin airships and later the Gotha aeroplane. George Belcher (1875-1947) cartoon of the period highlights the public concerns over these early attacks.

Transcript below:

STOUT LADY: (discussing the best thing to do in an air-raid). "Well, I always runs about meself. You see, as my 'usband sez, an' very reasonable too, a movin' targit is more difficult to 'it."

NEW FOOTBALL SEASON

This weekend the professional football season gets underway once more, and the millions of pounds having been spent in transfers and wages will possibly determine the outcome of the various matches in the various leagues. Sometimes other factors play a part in the results, and like the many knock-about games played by youngsters, are more easily recognised than the feats of the modern day professional footballer. Frank Reynolds (1876-1953) cartoon typifies a moment in the glorious game.

Transcript below:

CLUB NOTES

"Crescent United were unfortunate in losing to Paradise Alley

owing to the unavoidable absence of their custodian at a critical moment in the game."

HOLIDAYS - THE PHOTOS

Continuing the theme of summer holidays, the aftermath of a week or a fortnight in the sun is the showing of all the holiday photos. Nowadays with digital cameras, mobile phones and social network sites there are instant playbacks of those immortal moments within minutes. Back in the 1920’s and 1930’s the camera and the photograph was still a relatively new phenomenon. William L Ridgewell (1881-1937) cartoon illustrates some of the problems associated with this new technology.

Transcript below:

"It's no use, Cyril, I don't understand this camera. I can only see your feet."

HOLIDAYS - THE TICKETS

When going on holiday the main thing is to be sure the tickets are all sorted and to remember to take them with you. Sometimes, as in this cartoon by Bertram Prance (1889-1958) not everybody is kept fully in the picture.

Transcript below:

WIFE: "What! You haven't got the tickets yet?"

HUSBAND: "No. The fact is I've never been told where we're going."

HOLIDAYS - THE PACKING

With less than half of the school summer holidays now left, there are still a few intrepid souls heading off into the sunset on their annual planned vacation. The big decisions are deciding on what exactly to take with you and what to leave behind. This Bert Thomas (1883-1966) cartoon highlights the situation we all very nearly find ourselves in each year.

Transcript below:

LADY: (off for the holidays). "I think we've got everything now"

CABBY: "Seems a pity, some'ow to leave the winder-boxes behind, don't it?"

PUPPY LOVE

Statistically the summer months are the busiest for acquiring new pups apparently, followed closely by the infamous Christmas period. This new addition to the family is great and changes home life forever. Cats will ultimately rule the world, while Dogs, however much they will deny it, need humans to survive. When acquiring a new puppy one of the first requirements is to instruct the dog in the manners of life and to train them to follow basic commands. Depending on how crazy your dog is this can often be quite a trial, as illustrated in this George L Stampa (1875-1951) cartoon.

Transcript below:

THE WOMAN: "I do wish you two would walk properly."

SCHOOLS OUT!

Six weeks or so of  "I'm bored" and various other small crisis as the youngsters are slipped for the Summer Holidays and they go on a variety of adventures. Some of them planned and some unplanned as they all seek a new activity to explore or attempt. In a hundred years little has changed, and while possibly today's children don't necessarily have the same freedom as those of the early 20th century, the end result is often the same. A. Wallis Mills (1878-1940) cartoon depicts a flustered mother's attempt to find her wayward son.

Transcript below:

FLUSTERED LADY: "Have you seen a small boy?"

RECUMBENT GENTLEMAN: "Sandy-haired fat little demon? He's playing by himself near the breakwater."

FLUSTERED LADY: "No; I'm looking for my son __ a golden-haired plump little boy."

RECUMBENT GENTLEMAN: "Oh, I beg your pardon. He's playing by himself near the breakwater."

CARNIVAL TIME

Carnivals were thought to have been initially based around a religious festival held mainly in Catholic countries. In the days before Lent, all rich food and drink had to be disposed of. The consumption of this, in a giant party that involved the whole community is thought to be the origin of Carnival. The most famous ones being the Venetian Carnival first recorded in medieval Italy, spreading throughout Europe, and then the other most notable ones being the Caribbean Carnivals, the Brazilian Rio Carnival and of course the Lerwick Summer Carnival. Charles Harrison’s cartoon from 1933 captures the local spirit of the event.

Transcript below:

RAILWAY PORTER: (to Jones, who has arrived at seaside resort on carnival day) "It'll be a narrer squeak, Sir, but I'll do my best to git your luggidge to the hotel before I takes part in the procession."

HAMEFARIN - COONTIN KIN

The trouble sometimes with trying to trace ones ancestors was the tendancy up until very recently to name the newborn after their father, grandfather, mother, grandmother etc. etc. While I wouldn't have had it any other way, four of our own family with exactly the same name were alive and kicking at one time, which was not unusual at all, but did cause the occasional confusion especially at Banks, Building Societies and Christmas time. This was in the days long before computer ID's, PIN numbers or Passwords and the cartoon by A. Wallis Mills (1878-1940) chosen for today highlights a similar circumstance.

Transcript below:

ELIMINATION

                                STRANGER: "Can you tell me where Mr. Tooley lives?"

                                NATIVE: "There's fifteen families o' Tooleys."

                                STRANGER: "Mr Samuel Tooley?"

                                NATIVE: "There's twenty Sam Tooleys."

                                STRANGER: "He is, I believe, a carpenter."

                                NATIVE: "Ten o' em's carpenters."

                                STRANGER: "His age is seventy-eight."

                                NATIVE: "Ah, that must be me. What can I di fur ee?"

HAMEFARIN - THE STRIPED KIMONO

In the early years the emigrants wrote home to their families, telling of their success or otherwise as they tried to make a new life in a far and distant country. Quite a few worked hard and did well, sending back occasional unusual and exotic gifts. Many a Shetland home had a few items similar to the one referred to in this cartoon by Stan Terry from 1926.

Transcript below:

SQUIRE'S DAUGHTER: (after reading letter from cottager's son abroad). "And what will you do with the striped kimono your son says he's sending home?"

RUSTIC MOTHER: "You may well ask, Missie. I suppose I'll have to put it in one o' the pig-sties; but what I'm goin' to feed it on goodness only knows."

CLASSIC CARS

Motoring in the early 20th Century was an exciting if dangerous pastime. No driving tests were introduced until 1935 and accidents were common. Hand signals were the norm; indicators had yet to be invented. The ubiquitous Ford Model T was first built in 1908 and by 1920 half of all the motor vehicles in the world were Model T’s. By 1927 production ceased after 19 years and 15 Million vehicles. Many elderly folk had never seen or travelled in a motor car before and the experience was a huge novelty, as in this cartoon by Henry M Brocks (1875-1960) depicts.

Transcript below:

DEAR OLD LADY (having a lift - her first motor ride - as chaffeur signals a turn) "Look here, young man - you keep both hands on the wheel. I'll tell you when it begins to rain."

COUNTRY MANNERS

To start this blog sharing the fun and humour of old 'Punch' style cartoons from the early 20th century I have chosen one relating to the performers from the Music Hall era. The Music Hall brought together a huge variety of different acts, which together formed an evening of light hearted entertainment. By the late 19th century there were around 400 large halls spread around the UK, and at its peak the Music Hall was the television of its day.

It's stars were enormously popular and provincial tours around the country became very fashionable, visiting the smaller towns and cities. This in turn led to touring 'variety concert parties' who performed in country villages and parishes. This cartoon by George Belcher (1875-1947) depicts a country hall variety concert, where the visiting urban magician is upstaged by a local.

Transcript below:

CONJURER AT VILLAGE CONCERT. (to native who has volunteered to assist him) "And now I think I will surprise you, for I am going to produce a live rabbit from your right-hand coat pocket"
NATIVE. "Oi certainly 'ull be surprised if yew do. Oi've had my ferret in un all evening."