A recent research trip (to find a Raymond Sheppard illustration) led to the discovery of some more Caswell artwork. Please forgive the images – all photographed on my Samsung phone and the magazines were bound in single volumes – and I haven’t systematically photographed all Caswell’s images. At least it gives research a chance for anyone who wants to follow this up.
Woman’s Day was a large size, similar to Everbody’s and boasted such artists as Koolman, Uptton, Edwin Phillips, John Batchelor, Jack M. Faulks, Jack Matthew, and of course Leslie Caswell. It began with Volume 1 number 1 on 22 March 1958 and only lasted 173 issues.
“Sitting for love” by D. Y. Rales appeared in Woman’s Day 10 May 1958. The sub-heading to the opening to this story was “The ear-rings tinkled merrily …and the the listeners they sounded like wedding bells”
Woman’s Day 10 May 1958
“The Governor’s Daughters” was written by Alex Stuart and covered several issues beginning on 14 June 1958 and concluding in the 16 August 1958 issue
Woman’s Day 14 June 1958 pp8-9Woman’s Day 14 June 195821 June 195828 June 19585 July 1958
5 July 195812 July 195819 July 195826 July 19582 August 19589 August 1958
If there’s any doubt that Caswell’s strength was in figure drawing take a look at this tender kiss in the final episode of “The Governor’s Daughters”.
Woman’s Day 16 August 1958, p.14
“Angry Young Man” by Edmund Cooper (who I know as a science-fiction writer) was published in the magazine dated 13 September 1958. “It was a talisman …a tiny crystal packed full of wonderful dreams” is the sub-heading.
Woman’s Day 13 September 1958pp.8-9
“Charity Child” was written by “Britain’s bestselling romantic novelist”, Sara Seale. The byeline reads: “Even before they met, Mark Gentle mistrusted his aunt’s new companion…had he been more understanding, he might have recognised her generous heart – and innocent intention” It began in the 11 October 1958 issue and ran until 29 November 1958 with some lovely Caswell illustrations to accompany it.
Woman’s Day 11 October 1958
Look at these character studies – it makes you want to read the story! AS soon as I saw the character Charity, I thought of Shirley Maclaine.
Woman’s Day 11 October 195818 October 195825 October 19581 November 19589 November 195815 November 195822 November 1958
and the concluding drawing has a lot of impact
Woman’s Day 29 November 1958
Lastly here’s the last image I copied from Woman’s Day 27 December 1958 which illustrates the story “The Gimmick” by Jill Gill
It all started when I read a mis-attribution to Raymond Sheppard as illustrator for a lot of titles in the Kingfisher series by Blackie and Son. Sheppard certainly drew the cover for the series which was reproduced in a single spot colour as below, but to date I have not found any interior illustrations by him. Sometimes it helps to do the research, commit it to the Net, and leave it alone and hope others might find the gathering of data in one place, useful. The series looks to have started in 1952 (or maybe a year earlier) but I haven’t been able to work out why there are four series – is it language differences? Also I have listed, where known, the number printed on the bottom right of the front cover and the interior illustrator. Some of these titles have been added to the original series long after Sheppard’s death – i.e. into 1963 and I have seen a few but by no means all these.
FIRST SERIES (Mauve cover):
The Adventures of Little Black Bear by Marion Coombes, 1959 , [illustrated by J.S. Goodall] (A14)
Bertie Butterbeak by Muriel Fyfe [illustrated by Geoffrey Higham] (A8)
Behind the Green Door by Winifred Carnegie [illustrated by Ruth Murrell] (A6)
Bettina Bear’s Bus by Marion Coombes, 1958, [illustrated by J.S. Goodall] (A10)
Bobbin by Muriel Fyfe, [illustrated by Alma Healey] (A9)
The Bunny Whiskers Find an Island by Isobel Knight, 1954, [illustrated by J. S. Goodall R.I.](A7)
The Cat Who Wanted To Fly by Joan Marcy Bate, 1958, [illustrated by J. S. Goodall]
Danny Dormouse by E. E. Ellsworth[illustrated by Frank Varty] (A2)
Eskimo Doll by Barbara B. Capper, 1952, [illustrated by D. Elizabeth White] (A5)
Jemima Caroline’s Adventure in the River by Susan Jolly [illustrated by R. W. McIntyre] (A1)
Jemima Caroline in the Woods by Susan Jolly (A4)
The King Wouldn’t Stop Sneezing by George Ogg, 1952, [illustrated by Arthur Mansbridge] (A3)
The Magic Helter-Skelter by Joan Mary Bate, 1959 [illustrated by Sam Fair] (A13)
Marilinda Mouse by Marion Coombes [Illustrated by J.S. Goodall] (A11)
SECOND SERIES (Green cover):
The Adventures of Hubert the Hedgehog by Susan Jolly [illustrated by Alma Healey] (B5)
Annaleeza’s Adventure by Susan Ann Rice [illustrated by J. S. Goodall] (B12)
Benjamin Brindle’s Pets by Susan Jolly, 1959, [illustrated by Margaret Wetherbee] (B14)
Brenda Bear’s Castle by Marion Coombes, 1960
Charlie the Chicken by Andrew Liston, 1963, (B16)
Coonie The Bandit by James Alan Rennie, [illustrated by Maurice Wilson] (B11)
A Donkey Called Maggie by George H. Mallory, 1958,[illustrated by Ferelith Eccles Williams](B13)
Jacko comes home by John Hornby (B6)
The Left-Over Dragon by Marion Coombes, 1958, [illustrated by F. S. Goodall] (B12)
The Magic Sleigh-Ride by W. Joy Wallage (B10)
Marigold becomes a Brownie by Susan Jolly, 1954, [illustrated by Gilbert Dunlop] (B8)
The Puppet Theatre [+ No show without Toby?] by John Hornby, 1952, [illustrated by Monica Brailey](B3)
Rud and Robinette by Gladys Taylor, 1952, [illustrated by Cicely Steed] (B4)
The Secret of the Sails by Joseph Grace [Illustrated by Eric Wade] (B7)
The Story of Rakny by Gladys Taylor [Illustrated by Len Fullerton] (B9)
The Swallows and Selina by Gladys Taylor [illustrated by Cicely Steed] (B1)
Wally the Water Buffalo by Andrew Liston, 1963 (B17)
The Wonderful Adventures of Snowball by Irene Gass [illustrated by Gilbert Dunlop] (B2)
THIRD SERIES (Blue cover)
A Bone For Biff by Joseph Grace (C4)
The Curious Tale of Cloud City by Joan Mary Bate, 1958, [illustrated by Pauline Diana Baynes] (C13)
The Golden Boy and Other Stories by William Glynne-Jones [Illustrated by Chas Howarth] (C3)
Highland Adventure by Donald M. McFarlan (C8)
If Pigs had Wings by William Glynne-Jones, 1954, [illustrated by Arthur Mansbridge] (C1)
Little Beaver, the Indian Boy by E. E. Ellsworth, 1954,[illustrated by R. G. Campbell](C7)
The little giant who needed sunshine by James Alan Rennie, 1953 (C10)
The Magic Ear-Rings and the Free Willows by Monica Backway (C5)
Roundabout by Monica Backway, 1954, [illustrated by Ruth Murrell] (C9) Stormy Petrel by John Kennett [n.d.] [illustrated by R. G. Campbell](C11)
The Winbeck Whistle by John Hornby, 1952, [illustrated by Desmond Walduck] (C2)
Wings Over Dulcia by George H. Mallory, 1954, [illustrated by Grace Golden] (C6)
FOURTH SERIES (Orange cover)
Adventure Under Ground by Susan Jolly, 1960, [illustrated by Gavin Nicol] (D12?)
The Answer’s in the Negative by Alan C. Jenkins, 1959 (D16)
The Book of Knights I by Katherine M. Wilson (D2)
The Book of Knights II by Katherine M. Wilson [illustated by Illustrated by T. H. Robinson] (D3)
Golden Fleeces by Gladys Taylor [illustrated by F. D. Phillips]
The Grey Hill by Donald M McFarland[illustrated by R. G. Campbell]
Hassan of Basorah by Monica Backway(D11)
The Iron Hills by John Hornby (D7)
Lasso of the North by Alan C. Jenkins, 1958 (D12)
Matt of the Mounties by Andrew Wood, 1958, (D15)
The Piper’s Cave by Isobel Knight, 1954 (D6)
Prince of Sherwood by John Kennett, 1954 (D9)
The Secret of Kumurin by George Henry Mallory, 1958, [ illustrations by F.D. Phillips] (D14)
The Secret of the Screes by T. F. Maher (D3)
The Smugglers of Loch Shee by Thomas Francis Maher, 1952 (D5)
The Ups and Downs of Freddie James by George Ogg, 1951
The Young Traders by John Hornby [n.d.] [Illustrated by Barclay] (D1)
I notice that various titles here were reprinted in hardcover as “The Anytime Series” with colour covers and B&W illustrations inside.
If anyone can add any certainty or additional information please do get in contact.
I started writing about the BBC annuals in a previous post and felt it was getting too big, so have decided to focus on each book separately.
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – CoverUncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – Contents Page
It’s unfortunate that there is no publication or copyright date on this annual. It’s published by Sampson, Low, Marston & Co. Ltd and apparently edited by Uncle Mac himself – Derek McCulloch. I say apparently only because I would think he was far too busy to edit this himself, but I might be wrong! The Contents page has gorgeous artwork decorating the border drawn by Helen Jacobs. The endpapers are by her as well with her wonderful identifying signature in a ribbon.
I’m adding this as text so it’s findable by search engines and future historians!
CONTENTS
Bill Aylesbury at the Circus Parties by Geoffrey Dearmer
Parties that go by Derek McCulloch
Competitions by Derek McCulloch
A Piano for Jean-Jacques by Antonia Ridge
The Mystery of Migration by Lt. Cmdr Peter Scott MBE, DSC
Anna’s Christmas by Harry Farjeon
With George in the Balkans by Bernard Newman
Ponds are Wonderful by Jack Lester FZS
Four Poems by Olive Dehn
Monday the Rabbit by W. A. Rathkey
Sketching is Good Fun by W. R. Dalzell
H.M. Tower of London by Col. E. H. Carkeet-James O.B.E., M.C.
Lear Cottage by Olive Dehn
Two Creatures of the Night by Brian Vesey FitzGerald FLS
Rinloon the Hare by H. Mortimer Batten
The Yellow Balloon. by Ken Francis
“Jezebel” by Meryon Vance
Paddy and His Cat by Alan K. Taylor
Odds-Bobs-and-Mackerel by George Baker
Illustrators include Helen Jacobs, Weiss, Barbara C Freeman, Alex Jardine, Cicely Steed, Lowell, Gale & Bruce.
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – Title Page
I’d love to be certain of who this artist is. This page faces Uncle Mac himself with the artist’s signature If anyone wants to hazard a guess I’d be grateful – it looks like Weiss to me.:
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – Title page – Who is THAT artist who has signed their work??Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – p.90 illustration by Alex Jardine
I’d never heard of Alex Jardine – or more accurately I remember nothing about this name – and his work, which can be found easily online. He was born Alexander William Jardine (1913-1987) in Essex, where he attended Brentwood School. Jardine studied at St. Martin’s School of Art and in Brussels. He was responsible for a river fish series of stamps for the General Post Office (1983), also completing commissions for Imperial Chemical Industries, Bakelite Ltd, Swedish Travel Bureau and publishers such as Collins, Eyre & Spottiswoode and Hutchinson. He was a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists and Society for Wildlife Art of the Nations and showed widely internationally. Lived in Chislet, Kent.
He appears to have little listed in magazines, although that may be an indexing issue, and many dustjackets for novels, particularly, early on in his career, crime fiction. One wonders whether Ethelind Fearon requested him to do the art for her books as he seems to have illustrated at least seven of her titles
A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ALEX JARDINE’S PUBLISHED ARTWORK
The Adventures of a Gadabout, George W. Houghton, London: Selwyn & Blount, 1936
The Case of the Bonfire Body, Christopher Bush, London: Cassell, 1936
Mystery at the Rectory, A. Fielding, London:Collins Crime Club, 1936
Black Cats are Lucky, A. Fielding, London:Collins Crime Club, 1937
The First Adventure Featuring Woozy, a Thing Found by Jane and Pip lying by the Roadside., F. A. M. Webster, London: Juvenile Productions 1937
Jewels in the Dust, Joan Conquest, London: Jarrolds, 1937
Cafe Royal Cocktail Book W. J. Tarling, London: Pall Mall Ltd.,1937
The Quest for Lost Legend, F. A. M. Webster, London: Juvenile Productions, 1937
These Names Make Clues, E.C.R. Lorac, London:Collins Crime Club, 1937
Island of Spies, J. M. Walsh, London: Collins Crime Club, 1937
The Six Queer Things, C. St. John Sprigg, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1937
Murder in the Dispensary Jolyon Carr, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
Keep on Dancing, F.E. Baily, London: Odhams, 1938
The Marrowby Myth, Wyndham Martyn, London: Herbert Jenkins., 1938
Scotland Yard Alibi, Don Betteridge, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
Figure Away (An Asey Mayo Mystery) Phoebe Atwood Taylor, London: Collins, The Crime Club., 1938
Freak Museum, R. R. Ryan, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
Raven among the Rooks S. P. B Mais, (Stuart Petre Brodie), London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1939.
Freedom for Two, Jolyon Carr, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1939
Secret Errand, Norman Deane, London: Hurst & Blackett, 1939
Slow Poison, John Rowland, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1939
Death Visits the Summer-House, Gret Lane, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1939
The Man who Murdered Goliath, Geoffrey Homes, London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1940
Stop that Man, Robert ladline, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1940
Broadcast, Michael Hayes, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1940.
Murder At Night, James Corbett, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1940
Dark Nights. Thomas Burke, London: Herbert Jenkins 1944
Shake Hands For Ever, Edward Woodward, London: John Long, 1946
Ladysfingers, A. A. Thomson, Falkland L. Cary, London: Herbert Jenkins., 1947
Murder Too Late, Gordon Ashe, London: John Long, 1947
The Unfolding Years, Arthur Gask, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1947
House of Mist, Maria-Luisa Bombal, London: Cassell, 1948
Dark Mystery, Gordon Ashe, London: John Long, 1948
“The Story of the Circus”, W. Buchanan-Taylor in Christmas Pie [December 1948]
“Drink and the Devil” L. R. Burrage in Summer Pie [June 1948]
The Fairy Tradition In Britain, Lewis Spence Rider and Company, 1948
The Making of a Garden Ethelind Fearon, London: Macdonald, 1948.
At Dawn I Die, James Corbett, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1949
Mascarade: Four Short Stories, Gabriel Chevallier, London: Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd., 1950
Itchen Memories G. E. M Skues, (George Edward Mackenzie), London: Herbert Jenkins, 1951.
The Survivor. Jules Supervielle (Translated from the French by John Russell). London: Martin Secker and Warburg Limited, 1951
Murder Out of School, Miles Burton, London: Collins Crime Club, 1951
The Wild Swans and other tales based on the ancient Irish. Ethel Mannin, London: Jarrolds, 1952.
The Reluctant Gardener Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1952.
The Reluctant Cook Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1953.
Luron for Angling, Published by I.C.I. Ltd. Welwyn Garden City, Herts. 48 pages with 5 full-page illustrations by Alex Jardine, vignettes & drawings of knots 1953.
Murder with Roses, Adeline McElfresh, London: Foulsham, 1953
The Reluctant Hostess, Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1954.
The Face Of Innocence, William Sansom, Reprint Society, 1954
Jules Verne, Marguerite Allotte De La Fuye, Staples,1954
For poachers only, and, the Giles stories. Jack Chance, London: Adam & Charles Black, 1955.
How we got our flowers. Formerly entitled: The Coming of the Flowers. A. W. Anderson, London: Ernest Benn., 1956
How to keep Pace with your Daughter Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1958.
A geography of Canada, Elmer Sager, Toronto: [s.n.], 1960.
Flower Growing for Ungardeners Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1963.
A Privy in the Cactus Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1965.
Shooting Woodpigeons, Published by Birmingham: Imperial Metal Industries (Kynoch) Ltd. 1966.
A Bird in my hands G. M Glaskin, (Gerald Marcus), London: Herbert Jenkins, 1967.
Forestry and Pheasants (Eley Game Advisory Station Booklet 15. Shooting booklet.), Fordingbridge: Eley Game Advisory Station. 1967
Travels in the Balkans, John Higgins, The Travel Book Club., 1973
Country calendar. Godfrey Baseley, London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1975.
A country compendium, Godfrey Baseley, London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1977.
Fishing with Terry and son: from the Daily Express, Conrad Frost. Illustrated by Ronald Embleton and Alex Jardine, London: Express Newspapers, c1987.
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – p.28 illustration by Alex JardineUncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – p.29 illustration by Peter Scott
Interestingly, this is the only date I could find in this annual – 1948. So we can definitely say it was published after 1948!!
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – p.39 illustration by Helen Jacobs
A lovely piece here by Helen Jacobs for the story “Anna’s Christmas”
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – p.74 illustration by Unknown
Here again I feel I should know who this artist is. The image accompanies “Lear Cottage” and a lovely focus on the picture – crucial to the story. But who drew it?
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950?] – p.120 illustration by “Bruce”
This last image shows our old Children’s Hour favourite Odds-Bobs-and-Mackerel. The artwork is very detailed and signed “Bruce”
I’ve posted a few things by and about Leslie Caswell and even had contact with his son and daughter which is so gratifying for a lone blogger! Today I wanted to just post his wonderful art which appeared in John Bull magazine in the early 50s. I’m not claiming to have methodically found all his work in this magazine, but you can see how extensive it was. I even detect some of he influence Mike Noble – his co-worker in the cooper Studio – took from Caswell in the lighting and figure work. I’ve deliberately left each image on the published page as that’s how I like to see them – in context.
So without further ado from me….
John Bull 26 Jan 1952 p.15Leslie Caswell in John Bull July-August 1952John Bull 14 Nov 1953 p.7John Bull 25 Oct 1952 p.10John Bull 25 Oct 1952 p.11John Bull 26 Sep 1953 p.John Bull 6 Dec 1952, p7John Bull 29 Nov 1952 p.12John Bull 29 Nov 1952 p.13John Bull 28 Nov 1953 p.9John Bull 5 Dec 1953 p.11John Bull 26 Dec 1953 p.13John Bull 19 Dec 1953 p.19John Bull 12 Dec 1953 p.15
Barbara ran March House Books for 20 years but still runs a blog on which she posted a listing of sorts for the contents of the Daily Mail Annuals which is something I’d thought about doing. It’s always interesting to see what people highlight. I’m always on the look out for artists and illustrations, which often get overlooked.
I tripped over a picture on ebay that I thought worth preserving here which, until or if I ever get a copy of the 1947 Annual, can be replaced.
Daily Mail Annual 1947 CoverDaily Mail Annual 1947 pp.118-119
Here we see various Daily Mail artists: Illingworth, “Trog”, “Spot”, “Neb”, Glenn and Phipps with examples of their work. I’ve written a bit about Leslie Illingworth before and if you want to buy an original self-portrait, The Political Cartoon Gallery have one . “Trog” is of course, Wally Fawkes who created the newspaper strip “Flook”. The next one is “Spot” and the clue here is the mouse, the once famous “Teddy Tail of the Daily Mail” drawn by Arthur Potts in one of Teddy’s later incarnations. Then we have Ronald Niebour “Neb” – who drew a strip in the London Evening News called “Mr. Midge”. Next, William St. John Glenn, signing himself as “Glenn”. Lastly “Phipps” is Julian Phipps, husband of MI5 agent Joan Miller (Mrs. Joanna Phipps).
Educated at Lancing College and Oxford, Phipps started with the Daily Mail straight from university in 1929. At one stage he drew fashion drawings and then a strip ‘Judy’ for the Evening Standard. He was Art Editor of the Daily Mirror from 1949 to 1953, and then rejoined Associated Newspapers as Art Editor. (Information from Richard Ford’s site).
I’m always humbled when writing a little piece and sharing images, when I get responses!
Recently I have some correspondence with Peter Jones regarding Leslie Caswell and wanted to share what he said:
I have a fine pencil drawing by their father of the bust of Nefertiti in Berlin dated 1940. It belonged to my father who worked in the Admiralty during the war and the family story was that it was by someone he knew at that time. I found this blog today and it’s the first time I knew anything about Leslie Caswell. Thank you. Peter Jones
and then , after asking him if I could share the image, Peter said:
I have attached a photo of the drawing by Leslie Caswell of the ancient Egyptian sculpture of Nefertiti that is in Berlin. I don’t want to get the drawing out of its sealed glazed frame and it won’t fit on my scanner, so a photo with reflections will have to do for now. Sorry about that.
I rather doubt Leslie Caswell could have been behind the scenes in Berlin in 1940 (or is there a story to be told?) so I wonder what prompted the drawing and what model he used.
Best wishes
Peter Jones
I searched and found Wikipedia has a nice article on this icon and I’ve pointed to the relevant section which tells us the bust was first displayed to the public in 1923 and then stored, during the war, in Berlin but in a secure location to avoid the British bombings. I’ve read The Berlin Diaries 1940-1945 of Marie Missie Vassiltchikov recently and they certainly make the reader feel the oppression of bombings. So the bust was first stored in the vault of the Prussian Governmental Bank (Die Preussische-staatsbank) which was dissolved by the Allies in 1947 (there’s some current speculation regarding the loss of the equity held in the bank at that time) and then moved in 1941 to a Flak Tower bunker – presumably in the Tiergarten. At the end of the war it was moved by the Americans from a salt mine at Merkers/ Kaiseroda to Wiesbaden. In 1956 it was returned to West Berlin.
Now the question is when did Caswell see the bust of Nefertiti? Did he visit Germany between 1923 and 1939 (the start of the War)? In 1937 he was in the Slade School of Art and in the summer of 1938 received his degree at the University of London. Is it feasible that, so close to the appeasement and then declaration of war, he was in Berlin? Then we know from his children he served initially in the Royal Artillery in Burma but “was slightly deafened by the 25 pounder guns under his command. He was reassigned as an official war artist in India recording the actions and personnel in the Burma campaign and also drew and painted many members of the British Forces, African regiments, Gurkhas, Indian scenes, beggars, villagers, Mahrajas and beautiful Tibetan women.” ~Hamilton Caswell
So I suspect it’s more likely Leslie Caswell saw it in a magazine or journal, as it was a ‘recent’ discovery – for the public at least – when he was studying at the Slade. A quick search of the Illustrated London News shows at least 27 articles mentioning the bust during 1930-1939 and the image below appeared in issue dated 6 May 1933 (and no, the image mentions the cover but that’s different from the version Caswell drew above!)
Thanks so much to Peter Jones for sharing this image.
“If, as people were saying, the new century was to be the century of the common people, the Peasenhall case was an appropriate overture. The victim was a servant girl, the accused was a workman, the witnesses were, almost without exception, villagers” This novel is based on a famous real-life murder in Suffolk in 1902. Rose Harsent, a young housemaid, was found with her throat cut in the kitchen of Providence House, Peasenhall, early on a Sunday morning in June. She was pregnant, and there had been some attempt to set fire to the body. All the evidence pointed clearly to the guilt of William Gardiner, a leading figure at the chapel where she worshipped. There had been strong rumours about Gardiner and Rose. Gardiner’s little house, where he lived with his expectant wife, Georgina and six children, was only a stone’s throw away from Providence House, and a letter of assignation for the night of her death was found in Rose’s bedroom. Gardiner was put on trial for wilful murder.
To this strange story Mr. White brings the perception and wit that made his earlier novel, The Smartest Grave, so outstanding. He conjures up the ‘Silly Suffolk’ of a bygone age, its characters and its oddities: such as the ‘pikers’, the ‘bible bangers’ and the ‘proxymater’ (a wife-substitute for a man during his real wife’s pregnancy). And he provides a new and plausible solution to the nagging mystery of who really killed Rose Harsent.
R. J. WHITE has been a Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge, for some twenty years. He has also served in his College as Dean and Librarian. Since the end of the Second World War he has been a University Lecturer in History.
This book came to my attention because of its Sixties cover plus the fact I spent some lovely holidays in a cottage in Peasenhall during the early to mid-Eighties. I have to admit we didn’t stay in the village itself much as Aldeburgh, Southwold and Dunwich called. When people talk of ‘sleepy’ Suffolk we totally agreed with this summary. It was wonderful driving at a lower speed limit and sitting on shingle beaches with an ice cream and frequenting secondhand bookshops, such as the one in Yoxford itself, just up the road from Peasenhall.
The cover design was by Bentley, Farrell and Burnett, a rather famous trio, it turns out. For years I have owned another cover by them, the Hunter Davies Beatles biography. Mike Dempsey’s article from Eye (no. 93 vol. 24, 2017) is available and will tell you more on the trio (Mike’s blog is a great read too).
The complete dustjacket
This novel – and it is a novel – recounts “the free reconstruction upon the facts of the Peasenhall crime of 1902”. It is based on William Henderson’s volume “Trial of William Gardiner” (1935) and John Rowland’s “The Peasenhall Mystery” which was published in 1962 and might be why White became interested in the story. Unsolved murders are always intriguing and this one is no exception. A quick search on the Internet for “Rose Harsent”, the victim, shows many hits all regurgitating the few facts. Forensic science was not very well developed at the start of the 20th century and Sherlock Holmes was fictional too, but many others have tried explaining the case – Wikipedia alone has a citation index containing 28 entries. White’s conclusion, put in the mouth of his policeman is interesting and chimes with some people’s view of village life.
FACTS:
Peasenhall is a village on the Yoxford road, 6 miles from Halesworth and 5 from Saxmundham. The night of 31 May saw a typical Suffolk storm arise, soaking all in the village. On the following morning of 1 June 1902 Rose Harsent’s body, a housemaid for the Crisps, was found by her father who always brought her clean linen on a Sunday. She was found at the foot of the stairs in the kitchen with her throat cut and her body partially burnt. A medicine bottle was found which belonged to Mrs Gardiner which had contained medicine until being filled with paraffin. Three letters were found in Rose’s bedroom, all of which were quite obscene. Frederick Davis, confessed he was the author of them, and had written them at Rose’s request as she liked the titillation.
More importantly an unsigned note found, read: “Dear R, I will try to see you tonight at 12 o’clock at your place. If you put a light in your window at ten for about ten minutes, then you can put it out again. Do not have a light in your room at 12 as I will come round the back way.”
Rose’s character was well known and access to her upstairs room in the Crisps’ house was via a rear entrance which according to local knowledge was well used.
Contrasting Rose, was her alleged murderer, the main suspect throughout, William Gardiner, a father of 7 children and a member of the Primitive Methodists. He worked as a carpenter and foreman for Smyth & Sons in the village, producers of seed-drills and was known to be of good character. William Gardiner’s wife, knew of the allegations made about a sexual encounter between Gardiner and Rose which resulted in a recent inquiry in the chapel, but knew them to be rubbish.
On the night of the storm, at about 10pm, Gardiner was seen outside with neighbour Harry Burgess, discussing a thunderstorm heading their way and sure enough around 11.30pm, it began in force. The Gardiners visited their next-door neighbour, Rose Dickinson, and left her house around 1am to 2am after which Gardiner claimed he slept until about 8.30am Sunday morning. His wife claimed she had been feeling unwell and gone downstairs. A neighbour corroborated this as the walls between the cottages were thin. She returned to bed at 4am.
In terms of evidence, that morning brought firstly the testimony of James Morriss, a gamekeeper who claimed he saw footprints between Providence House and the Gardiners’ home in the rain on the road. This, of course was not able to be verified after the village awoke and the sun came out. A neighbour backing onto the Gardiner’s property saw the fire roaring smoke early on the morning and the suspicion led to the police wondering if bloodied clothes had been disposed of. The issue of the candle has been raised. A later voice made out that Gardiner could not see it from his nearby cottage because of the angle of the buildings to each other. Handwriting experts disagreed about whether the important letter was written by Gardiner and Georgina agreed it looked somewhat like his hand, but no, it wasn’t.
A post-mortem examination showed Rose had been stabbed in the chest, had a bruise on her face and jaw, and had hand injuries that suggested she’d tried to fight off a knife attack and more importantly Rose was six months pregnant.
Gardiner had his knife on him and it had traces of blood – explained by Gardiner simply as obvious, he caught rabbits and skinned them with it. Why did he not dispose of such an incontrovertible clue when he did ‘burn his bloody clothes’? Inconsistency and circumstantial evidence appear to have been the order of the day in these trials. Some people changed their testimonies – maybe having had time to consider what they were doing.
Strangely, or maybe not, when one considers the investigating policeman had never handled a murder before, the police considered this a suicide and neglected to arrest their chief suspect until the 3 June – two days later. His trial began on 4 November that year in Ipswich and the jury returned a verdict of indecision – 11 guilty; one not guilty which led to the re-trial in which, ironically, the jury came back with the reverse: 11 not guilty; 1 guilty! It’s likely that by this time (21-24 January 1903) that poor Rose, being dead and buried, was not as in evidence as the poor man and his wife dragged before the courts once again. The judge decided to issue a “Nolle prosequi” – meaning, although not acquitted of murder, the judge did not feel inclined to further pursue the case against the defendant.
Gardiner and family disappeared afterwards to make a new life in London and Rose was buried in Peasenhall where her grave can still be seen – online too.
I have scanned the photographic postcard I found in the book which, after some investigation is of Providence House – which is not named after the religious concept but after the insurance company.
Thelwell drew illustrations for a series called “When the fighting was thinnest” – and as the explanation goes in episode 1 in Lilliput March 1956:
“The time has come to report on the lunatic war as experienced by 95 per cent of the nation 95 per cent of the time. In Lilliput, well-known writers will reveal what took place “When the fighting was thinnest””
The problem was that the series was not always clearly labelled so I’ve added images from several that I think should be from this series but not necessarily all of them. If you need to know more let know
I’ve been scanning artwork for my other blogs from the Lilliput magazines I won and thought I’d share these Thelwell illustrations as they are not well known. rather than label them all individually I’ll say they are from 1955-1957, some accompany a long story; some a series with different authors; some individual articles. If you want more details, just ask!
We know quite a bit about Robin Jacques (brother of Hattie apparently!) so I shan’t say much just share some lovely illustrations I found while browsing some magazines. The first gallery comes from Lilliput between 1953-1955 just because I own them. If I find more I shall add them here.
The second batch come from the Radio Times – again there’s no logic to why they appear – except I like his work – and these are not ALL the images from the Radio Times!
Visual Rants 