Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949]

UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024

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 which gives me a chance to look in more detail and correct/amend things.

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – Cover by William Gale

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – Back cover by William Gale

Glenn Reuben told me that “The front cover was drawn by William Gale, born 1894 (not sure about his death), not to be confused with an artist of the same name from 1823 to 1909.” I had a look in various art dictionaries and drew a blank too. Can anyone say more?

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949 ] – Endpapers by Helen Jacobs

Helen Jacobs was a very prolific children’s illustrator who lived from 1888-1970. Chris Beetles has a longer biography plus original artworks for sale.

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! BUT I do have a bit more confirmation of the date of this annual. Checking the Bookseller for any instances of Uncle Mac’s works I found the following in July 1948 – working in advance of Christmas 1948.

Now, of course we don’t know WHICH Book they are talking about but fortunately they boasted later of having supported the trade by doing some advertising in Picture Post and the Illustrated magazines. My good friend and librarian Theresa C. found the advert in Picture Post:

Picture Post 11 December 1948, page 5

Now look at the other Uncle Mac book – Uncle Mac’s Own Story Book published at the same time – the design is unique with that long ribbon. This is a title not re-used at any later date. Now look at the annual in question: Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book. Can you see the bubble / balloons? There is only one such looking book, in my opinion. So we can be sure – based on the British way of labelling annuals using the following year – this should be called Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949]. The date is not used in the title – thus square brackets, but now I am certain of the dates -© 1948 – title 1949. None of the other Uncle Mac titles for Children’s Hour are that easy(!) but follow along later posts and see if I can pin them down more.

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – Title page – Art by Emil Weiss

The page facing Uncle Mac himself has an artist’s signature and Glenn Reuben suggested this might be Czech illustrator Emil Weiss (1896-1965). Looking at examples of his art online, I agree. Emil Weiss has a Wikipedia entry which makes interesting reading.

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – Contents Page – art by Helen Jacobs

As usual with these outline of Annual contents. I’m adding this as text so it’s findable by search engines and future historians and whilst doing that trying to identify artists – my primary interest! But as the Contents page here has gorgeous artwork decorating the border drawn by Helen Jacobs, I’m adding that too. The endpapers (see above) are by her as well with her wonderful identifying signature in a ribbon.

CONTENTS

• Bill Aylesbury at the Circus Parties by Geoffrey Dearmer; [illustrated by ?]
• Parties that go by Derek McCulloch; [illustrated by ?]
• Competitions by Derek McCulloch; [illustrated by ?]
• A Piano for Jean-Jacques by Antonia Ridge; [illustrated by Barbara C. Freeman]
• The Mystery of Migration by Lt. Cmdr Peter Scott MBE, DSC; [illustrated by Alex Jardin – and Peter Scott]
• Anna’s Christmas by Harry Farjeon; [illustrated by Helen Jacobs]
• With George in the Balkans by Bernard Newman; [illustrated by ?]
• Ponds are Wonderful by Jack Lester FZS; [illustrated by ?]
• Four Poems by Olive Dehn; [illustrated by Cicely Steed]
• Monday the Rabbit by W. A. Rathkey; [illustrated by Cyril Cowell]
• Sketching is Good Fun by W. R. Dalzell; [illustrated by ?]
• H.M. Tower of London by Col. E. H. Carkeet-James O.B.E., M.C.; [illustrated by ?]
• Lear Cottage by Olive Dehn; [illustrated by ?]
• Two Creatures of the Night by Brian Vesey-FitzGerald FLS; [illustrated by ?]
• Rinloon the Hare by H. Mortimer Batten; [illustrated by Alex Jardine]
• The Yellow Balloon. by Ken Francis; [illustrated by William Gale]
• “Jezebel” by Meryon Vance; [illustrated by Helen Jacobs]
• Paddy and His Cat by Alan K. Taylor; [illustrated by ?]
• Odds-Bobs-and-Mackerel by George Baker; [illustrated by ‘Bruce’]

ART GALLERY and comments

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – 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
• Octagon House, Phoebe Atwood Taylor, London: Collins Crime Club, 1938
• The Red Mirror Mystery, Gret Lane, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
• Nine Doctors and a Madman, Elizabeth Curtiss, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
• Lessinger Laughs Last, Richard Essex, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
• Mrs Warrenders Profession, G.D.H. & M. Cole, London: Collins Crime Club, 1938
• 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 [1949] – p.28 illustration by Alex Jardine

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – p.29 illustration by Peter Scott

Interestingly, this is the only date I could find in this annual – 1948. So we can definitely take that too as corroborative evidence it was published after 1948!!

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – 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 [1949] – 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? Is it Eileen Soper??

The next one is a puzzle too, and I’ve decided to add all the art for this story, Odds-Bobs-and-Mackerel.

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – p.120 illustration by “Bruce”

This last images show our old Children’s Hour favourite Odds-Bobs-and-Mackerel. The artwork is very detailed and signed “Bruce” and I have not been able to track down who this artist is, or whether this is a first name or surname! Notice how forthright their signature is, even appearing at the top space of an illustration – no hiding here! But who is this? Please do let me know if you find out.