The Children’s Hour Annual [1938] – Edited by Uncle Mac of the B.B.C. [© 1937]

Cover by Raymond Sheppard

Here’s a list of all the Uncle Mac / Children’s Hour annuals I’ve analysed and listed. As I complete another entry I’ll add a hyperlink so you can jump to each individually.

Today I want to look at the third Children’s Hour Annual proper. Raymond Sheppard drew the cover and I’ve shown his work on my other blog dedicated to Sheppard so I’ll skip that here and concentrate on other artists. Let’s talk about the dating just in case there’s any doubt.

An advert from The Bookseller 1 September 1937

Thus we know if this was labelled in the same way other annuals were, it would be The Children’s Hour Annual 1938 with a copyright date of 1937.

CONTENTS

• THE FOREWORD by The Editor
• REMINISCENCES by Commander Stephen King-Hall; drawings by Raymond Sheppard
• SAMUEL VISITS THE ZOO by Hugh E. Wright; drawing by unknown
• SOME POINTS OF RUGBY FOOTBALL Captain H. B. T. Wakelam, B.A.; drawings by “E. L.”
• HOW THE COCONUT MAN RUINED HIS CAREER by Olive Dehn; drawings by E. E. Briscoe
• THE MOUNTAIN ASH by Olive Dehn; drawing by Jacynth Parsons
• BIRD WATCHING IN NORFOLK by David Seth-Smith; drawings by Roland Green
• “WORM I’ THE BUD” by L. du Garde Peach; drawings by Cyril Cowell
• ADAM AND THE BEAR CUBS by H. Mortimer Batten; drawings by Raymond Sheppard
• THE ROOT OF THE MATTER by Olive Dehn; drawing by Jacynth Parsons
• GOOD LISTENING by Derek McCulloch; drawing by Jacynth Parsons
• THE MOST EXCITING MATCH by P. G. H. Fender.; drawings by “E. L.”
• MYSTERY SHIPS by Vice-Admiral Gordon Campbell, V.C., D.S.O..; drawings by Laurence Dunn
• TO MY LOVEBIRDS by Olive Dehn; drawing by Jacynth Parsons
• IN THE CHOPS OF THE CHANNEL by Barbara Euphan Todd; drawings by Laurence Dunn
• CONKY’S HORSE by Franklyn Kelsey; drawings by C. Ambler
• MY FLYING THRILLS by Charles W. A. Scott; drawings by unknown
• SPRING TWILIGHT. by Olive Dehn; drawing by Jacynth Parsons
• A HAPPY VISIT TO THE DENTIST by Hugh de Selincourt; drawings by unknown
• MAKE YOUR OWN PUZZLES by Lieutenant-Commander R. T. Gould; drawings by the author
• JIMMY RIDES THE RANGE by Escott North; drawings by Raymond Sheppard

ART GALLERY

DENNIS MALLET

Although the first image is not signed as the other two are, I’m fairly confident it’s Mallett with his lovely simple cartoon style. Harcourt Dennis Mallet was well known at the time contributing to Tatler (c.1936-1949) and Punch among other things. His art in Swift comic for “Our Gang” is delightful and ran from 1954-1961. My friend Steve Holland has a short biography on his blog.

E. E. BRISCOE (1882-1956)

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], p.33 “How the coconut man ruined his career” Art by E. E. Briscoe

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], p.37 “How the coconut man ruined his career” Art by E. E. Briscoe

A great biography of Ernest Edward Briscoe can be found on Steve’s blog, written by Robert J. Kirkpatrick and the two images above show his deft handling of artwork in colour and B&W.

JACYNTH PARSONS (1911-1992)

I’ve mentioned Parsons before in the previous year’s annual. The images below accompany mostly Olive Dehn’s poetry – except the little girl doing some “Good Listening” as McCulloch’s article is called. Page 90’s illustration “To my lovebirds” is not signed but I think it’s Parsons’ work.

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], pp. 42, 67, 69, 90, 120, Art by Jacynth Parsons

LAURENCE DUNN (1910-2006)

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], pp. 87 +95 (“Mystery Ships”), Art by Laurence Dunn

Laurence Theodore Dunn (9 April 1910-2006) was born in LLandaff, Glamorgan as the youngest of 5. His father was a stockbroker and Laurence studied at London’s Central School of Art and did work for the Southern Railway, and the Orient Line, He lived in Putney in 1939 and was called a Maritime Artist and Shipping Journalist by trade. He worked for naval intelligence during the Second World War. His work appeared in regular publications such as Everybody’s, Sphere and he drew cutaways in the Eagle comic and illustrations in the first Eagle Annual. He also drew for Modern World in 1940, and various illustrations for The Boy’s Own Paper from 1952 to 1957 as well as producing many maritime paintings. Laurence wrote several books – see bibliography below – and also designed stamps for the British Colonies.

BIBLIOGRAPHY of books by Laurence Dunn

• A Book of Ships. By L. Dunn and A. C. & M. J. Hardy. London: Penguin Books, 1942
• Waterways of the World. by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke, London: Penguin Books, 1944
• “Railway with the speed of aircraft” in Eagle Annual #1, 1951
• Ship Recognition. Merchant ships. London: Robert Ross & Co.; George G. Harrap & Co, 1952
• Liners and their Recognition. London: Adlard Coles, 1953
• Ship Recognition. Warships. N.A.T.O. powers and other important ships. London: Adlard Coles, 1953
• Ships of the Union-Castle Line. Southampton: Adlard Coles, 1954
• Royal Yachts and their Story. [With cut-out models.] Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1955
• The World’s Tankers. Southampton: Adlard Coles; London: George G. Harrap & Co, 1956
• Ships of Southampton and the Solent. Southampton: Adlard Coles, 1958
• British Passenger Liners. Southampton: Adlard Coles, 1959
• Ships. (A Swift picture book. Prepared by L. Dunn.). London: Longacre Press, 1960
• Passenger Liners. London: Adlard Coles, 1961
• North Atlantic Liners, 1899-1913. London: Hugh Evelyn, 1961
• British Warships. London: Longacre Press, 1962
• British Tramps, Coasters and Colliers. London: Longacre Press, 1962
• Famous liners of the past, Belfast built. London: Coles, 1964
• The book of ships. London: Macdonald & Co, 1968
• Soviet Merchant Ships. 1945-1968. Kenneth Mason, 1969
• A source book of ships. London: Ward Lock, 1970
• Merchant ships of the world, 1910-1929, London: Blandford Press, 1973
• Laurence Dunn’s Thames shipping. London: Carmania Press, 1992
• Palm Line. Abergavenny: P.M. Heaton Pub., c1994
• Laurence Dunn’s Mediterranean shipping. London: Carmania, 1999

ROLAND GREEN (9 January 1890 – 19 December 1972)

Green has been mentioned before – here – and this book contains a nice series of bird portraits – which was the topic he became famous for. Roland J. Green was born in Kent (not in 1896 as mentioned by some) and baptised on 8 June 1890 in St Margaret of Antioch, Rainham. His father had many occupations – in 1891 Roland Green (senior) was “Carpenter, taxidermist, bee expert etc.” and ten years later “Builder, undertaker, etc.”. Roland (Junior) is mentioned as being a “Artist Lithographer” in 1911 at the age of 21. He had two elder sisters and was the third child in the family. He studied at Rochester Art School and then Regent Street Polytechnic. He gave lectures to groups and eventually moved to Norfolk. He was never married and his studio in Hickling gave him ample opportunity to watch birds both native and migratory. He was a Member of the British Ornithologists’ Union and a fellow of the Zoological Society.

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], p. 45, Art by Roland Green

BIBLIOGRAPHY of Roland Green

• The British bird book, by W. P. Pycraft, Theodore Wood. London: A. & C. Black, 1921
• Birds one should know, beneficial and mischievous by Theodore Wood. London: Gay & Hancock Limited, 1921
• Birds in flight, by, William Plane Pycraft. London: Gay & Hancock Limited, 1922
• Bird Notes and News – the magazine of the RSPB, Spring Volume, 1924
• Catalogue of water-colour drawings and etchings of bird life by Roland Green. London: Arthur Ackermann & Son, 1930
• Bird Notes and News – the magazine of the RSPB, Spring Volume, 1934
• British Birds by Wilfrid Willett. London: A. and C. Black, c.1937 +1948
• Exhibition of water colour drawings of wild fowl and game birds by Roland Green. London: Arthur Ackermann & Son, [1938]
• “How birds live and fly” in Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, Vol. 92, No.4661, pp.198-202, 1944
• Childrens Book of British Birds & Verses by Katherine Lloyd. Foy Publications, 1946
• British birds. Series #1-11 by Wilfred Willett, London: Ruskin Studio, 1946-1947
• Wing-Tips: The identification of birds in flight. London: A. and C. Black, 1947
• Sketching Birds. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 1948
• How I draw birds; a practical guide for the bird-watcher. London: A. and C. Black, [1951]
• The ladybird Book of British Wild Animals. Ladybird Books, 1958
• Various Postcards, Prints and Posters (from c.1923)
• ‘Game birds and Wildfowl’ in the John Player cigarette card collection, 1928

A homage to Roland Green: his Norfolk legacy. Lymington: St. Barbe Museum & Art Gallery, Great Britain, 2012

CYRIL COWELL (1888-1967)

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], p. 54, Art by Cyril Cowell

I’ve included this image just because I liked it. It accompanies “Worm i’ the bud” and I’ve shared a few images and some details before.

CHRISTOPHER CLIFFORD AMBLER (30 June 1886- 17 May 1965)

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], pp. 107 +112, Art by Clifford Ambler “Conkey’s Horse”

Learn more about Ambler here. His signature / initials can be indistinct sometimes – look at the B&W image above.

UNKNOWN

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], p. 113, Art by Unknown “My Flying Thrills”

There are 3 images in this tale by Charles W. A Scott. They are B&W and show a competence, but who drew them?

UNKNOWN #2

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], p. 125, Art by Unknown

The Children’s Hour Annual [1938], p. 129, Art by Unknown

The images above have a look like Joyce Lankester Brisley (of Milly Molly Mandy fame) but I don’t think it’s her. There are no markings, initials or signatures on all three images accompanying “A Happy Visit to the Dentist”. Any suggestions?

RAYMOND SHEPPARD (1913 – 1958)

I have blogged all three stories illustrations by Sheppard on the blog devoted to him.

~Norman

NEAVE PARKER (1909-1961)

WILLIAM NEAVE PARKER (1909-1961)

The original artwork above hangs in our bedroom, bought many years ago on eBay. I wish I’d bought more of his work then.

William Neave Parker – to give him his baptismal name, has a Wikipedia page in German but not English and that states he died in Pennsylvania, not true, as we shall see! Almost every source states he was born in 1910. But I’ve found his baptismal record (baptised on 27 June 1909 – meaning he was born on that day or earlier in 1909!) and his birth entry in the same year was in quarter 3 (July-September) so I suspect that his baptism took place very near that date.

The 1911 census – at 49 Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, states he was 1 year old so I expect this is where the deduction was made he was born in 1910. His father Sam Wardle Parker was born in 1861 (and was a surveyor) and his mother Helen Taylor was born in 1872. He had one older sibling, by 18 years, Gertrude Kathleen Alice – by his father’s previous marriage to Annie Baldwin in 1886. The 1921 Census – filled in by his father in 49 Morton Terrace Gainsborough, states he was 12 years and no months – which equates to 1909. The census took place on the 19 June 1921 therefore I think we can safely say that Neave was born in June 1909. We learn from other sources he attended Heatherley’s School of Art in London by the time he was 20.

DINOSAURS

He is best remembered now as the artist who drew dinosaurs, thirty years before Jurassic Park appeared in cinemas. His artwork was very influential and was reprinted all over the world when representing dinosaurs and I remember them from my youth in the Sixties.

The Mary Evans Picture Library have lots of his B&W dinosaur artwork, many are illustrated on The Natural History Museum‘s site which explains a bit about his relationship with William Elgin Swinton, the palaeontologist. It was zoologist Maurice Burton (1898–1992), a research fellow and honorary science editor of the Illustrated London News that introduced them. Initially it was his camera work that attracted attention.

ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS

ILN 11 November 1955 Brothers Grimm

ILN 11 November 1955 Hans Christian Anderson

The first reference I can find to his Illustrated London News (ILN) work is Parker’s photos of people at work at the NHM (Illustrated London News on 10 December 1949) and the following year photos of various animals accompanied articles and many more followed in Burton’s articles for many years.

But it was the 19 August 1950 issue that had his first credited drawing appeared (of “The Missing Link”) and in the 11 August 1951 he drew his first ILN two page spread, which was a regular feature – this time of “The Diet of the Bat” including vampire bats! The ‘Bat’ pages were written by Dr. M. Burton and the two of them carried on these spreads for the ILN for some time, Parker was described often as “Our Special Artist” and “Our Natural History Artist”. In the 13 October 1956 issue he appears to have gained some post-nominals “Neave Parker F. R. S. A.” – a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. In the 12 January 1957 a new series starts:

Although Parker continued sending photographs to the ILN – even up till 1960 – he was not only brilliant and prolific at shooting photographs, but The Times for 5 August 1958 informs us of his love of competition pistol shooting where he actually won prizes and broke records. And the ILN featured his winning too:

On 16 August 1958 they also showed a photo of the competitors with this caption:

AT BISLEY FOR THE MAYLEIGH .22 PISTOL EVENT: THE GREAT BRITAIN INTERNATIONAL TEAM. SEATED, EXTREME RIGHT, IS MR. NEAVE PARKER, WHO WON THE N.S.R.A. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A RECORD SCORE.
The above photograph was taken at Bisley on August 4, when the Great Britain International Team was competing in the international .22 pistol Mayleigh event. Mr. Neave Parker, whose work as an artist is well known to our readers, also won the N.S.R.A. Open Championship, with a record score, at the eleventh annual .22 pistol meeting of the National Small-bore Rifle Association, held at Bisley on August 2, 3 and 4. Mr. Parker’s score was 921 ex 1000, and this was in spite of one shot being disallowed.

If that wasn’t enough on 15 August 1959 he is shown thus:

Unfortunately he died of a heart attack on 16 May 1961, only aged 51. Issues of the ILN after the 29 July 1961 state “The late Neave Parker” and he was still remembered by the ILN as late as 1964.

With the headline on page 7 of 26 May 1961 in his home town local paper the Gainsborough News, “Gainsborough artist dies in London”. The article continues:

“Man who worked very hard for success, Mr. William Neave Parker, has died in London at the age of 51.
Mr. Parker was the son of the late Samuel Wardell Parker, who for 28 years was a well-known Gainsborough surveyor, and was educated at schools in the town. After education at Worksop College, Mr. Neave Parker entered his father’s business but when 20 years old he became a student at Heatherley’s, the famous London art school. Here, his skill as a draughtsman attained at Gainsborough speedily became apparent and specimens of his work were hung at Heatherley’s to encourage other students. An all-round craftsman, swift in statement, very confident in touch, he excelled at figure work.
Circumstances decided he should become an outstanding nature artist, his first commission being to illustrate a series of nature books. The author later acknowledged that the work of Neave Parker contributed greatly to the large sales of the series. Other nature illustrations were demanded and in due course he became the special nature artist to the Illustrated London News. He illustrated many books on nature but at the same time he made some very fine landscape paintings for exhibition.
CAMERA SKILL
As a relaxation he devoted himself to the camera and revolver shooting, attaining distinction as a camera artist and as a crack revolver shot. During the war his skill with the camera led to his enlistment in the photographic section of the Royal Air Force and while serving on the continent he made many landscape studies in water-colour and oils. In spite of the heavy demands upon his time as an illustrator, Neave Parker made time for other activities and he was intensely interested in animal welfare. For some years he was Chairman of the Council for Canine Defence and he was also a Fellow of several learned societies, including the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Zoological Society. In his spare time—as he described it—he wrote and illustrated ‘The Tall Green House,’ a sumptuously illustrated nature book which won royal approval. He worked hard for his success but for some months he had not enjoyed good health and although he seemed to be recovering he died following an attack of cerebral haemorrhage.
His life was short: it was also very full and very useful.”

As far as I can see he never married, however his probate record shows him leaving £6,043 to “Hilda Blanche Taylor, spinster” – who I see died in 1966 and whose address was the same as Neave’s. She left £22,633 to “National Provincial Bank Limited” – was this a charge on a property? I can’t track her down with any authority – there is a Hilda Blanche born in 1883 in Neave’s home town of Gainsborough, but is this the same person? Was she an Aunt? Without precise information I’d be guessing

AFTER HIS DEATH

In 1993, the Ulster Museum in Belfast presented the exhibition “The Prehistoric World of Neave Parker” . His works are in the Ulster Museum and the Natural History Museum

If you like his artwork take a look at the eBay seller Batbatty247. In 2021 several lots were sold by Toovey’s
Antique & Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

The following are taken from their site and show Reynard The Fox

Here are some others from Tooveys from the same sale

Birds by Neave Parker

William Neave Parker – ‘Aoteroa’ (Maori hunting a Moa) plus 2 inca or Aztec scenes?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Lovable Beasts, Harper Cory, London: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1936
• Prickly-Pine, , Harper Cory, London: University of London Press, 1937
• [This Cruelty called Sport! By Air Commodore L. E. O. Charlton … Illustrated by Harry Rountree, Treyer Evans and Neave Parker.], League Against Cruel Sports (Great Britain), 1939
• Who killed Cock Robin, London: W.L. Vaughan (City) Ltd.), 1940?
• Molly, the New Forest Pony, Lady Kitty Edith Blanche Ritson, London: T. Nelson & Sons, 1940
• Chips the Alsatian, Lady Kitty Edith Blanche Ritson, London: T. Nelson & Sons, 1940
• Rufa the Wood Ant, Ray Palmer, London: T. Nelson & Sons, 1940
• Bombus, the Bumble-Bee, Ray Palmer, London: T. Nelson & Sons, 1940
• Domini the Golden, C. W.Henry, London: T. Nelson & Sons, 1940
• Wild Animals at Home, Harper Cory, London: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1940
• Vulpes: an English fox, Harper Cory, London: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1940
• Uncle Peter. A true story, Harper Cory, London: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1940
• Larry Blackcap, Dorothy Edith Corkill, London: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1940
• The Mammals of the British Isles, Harper Cory, London: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1941
• The Tall Green House, written and illustrated by Neave Parker, London: P. R. Gawthorn, 1948
• Ulla-Britt and the Birds, Laurens Sargent, London: University of London Press, 1950
• Uncle Remus, Adapted by Robert Harding, London: Gawthorn Press, 1953
• Uncle Peter, Harper Cory, , London: Thomas Nelson, 1954
• The Day of the Dingo, John Kiddell, London: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1955
• Reckless Robert. (Look right-look left.), George Henry Eyles, Watford: Bruce & Gawthorn, 1959
• A Game Ranger’s Notebook, Paul Smiles, London and Glasgow: Blackie, 1961
• Fishes, Norman Bertram Marshall, Watford: Bruce & Gawthorn, 1961
• Reptiles: The wonderful world of nature, Alfred Leustsher Watford: Bruce & Gawthorn, 1961
• Mammals, Maurice Burton, Watford: Bruce & Gawthorn, 1961
• Birds, Maurice Burton, Watford: Bruce & Gawthorn, 1961
• The prehistoric times : the newspaper for discerning dinosaurs, Stella Gurney, London: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2017

Newnes Pictorial Knowledge: Volume Ten

VOLUME TEN: This is the reference volume for the set, containing the A-Z Factual Index and “Our world today”.

Art by Unknown

This volume has predominantly three columns with a dictionary approach. The above opening page changes things slightly as it has called this “Children’s Treasury of General Knowledge”

Who is “H. K.”?

The first artist’s work I wish to highlight is well disguised.

Each section begins with an illustration of that letter. So here we see A, C and J. So who is the artist? Hidden in the images are the initials “HK”. Could this be Horace Knowles, (mentioned here) but he usually signs his work in full. I also felt some of this artwork was a bit ‘naive’, just look at the animal top-left on the letter J page, which I guess is a jackal. . Knowles was, I felt more competent than this. Just look at his own “Countryside Treasures” as an example. The work is stylised but competent. So who is HK?

GEORGE HORACE DAVIS (1884-1963)

Page 107, Art by George Horace Davis

GHD, G. H. Davis etc. has been mentioned when discussing Volume Six, so I’ll leave this here as I liked the clarity of the explanation and also his lovely signature with the ‘D’ enclosing his surname.

Page 383, Art by George Horace Davis

I also loved this cutaway of a London street! Note that it’s dated 1949 which makes one wonder about the claim “Specially drawn for this work” as it’s surely a reprint from an earlier edition!

ANTHONY WOOD (1925 – 2022)

Page 193, Art by Anthony Wood

I’m afraid I had NOTHING on Anthony Wood in any of my usual sources. Looking at the above and the image below, we can see he may have been a technical artist of some sort, and I nearly drew a blank! But then I thought to search for Anthony Wood + Heraldry and that came up trumps. His Wikipedia page tells me he was “a professional calligrapher, illuminator and heraldic artist”

Page 376, Art by Anthony Wood

H. M. BROCK (Henry Matthew Brock) (1875-1960)

Page 219, Art by Henry Matthew Brock

I can’t add anything to HM’s biography and have already said he is famous enough not to need my rants but researchers of his work might like to know his work appears in this volume.

ERNEST ARIS (1882-1963)

Page 273, Art by Ernest Aris

Page 288, Art by Ernest Aris

Like Brock above, Aris needs no introduction. His work appears in many of this set of 10 books and the two above appealed to me. What a versatile artist!

CYRIL COWELL (1888-1967)

Page 287, Art by Cowell

Page 427, Art by Cowell

I chose these two pieces by Cyril Cowell as 1) it allows me to say he does two other maps in this volume – South Africa, Canada, and the above NZ and 2) his work appears in Volumes 5, 6, 8 and here Volume 10, amongst others. To read more about him follow the link.

CONCLUSION

As I said in the first posting on this set of encyclopedia, there are two accompanying volumes – an atlas and a dictionary which I don’t own. So here’s where I finish this series. Just as, with a lot of what I do on this blog, I’ve only shown what interests me – either the art itself, or the hunt for information. If you’ve read this far and – for example – are tracking down all instances of one these artist’s works, this is a good set to check…and there are multiple editions unfortunately! I tripped over an early set (with Enid Blyton’s name) and found no Raymond Sheppard artwork – my main reason for buying this 10 volume set – but did see some familiar artwork .

Thanks for all the comments, and do let me know if you discover who some of these artists are whom I’ve not been able to pin down

Norman