How Cartoons Began.

Early Cartoons
A favourite pub of our walking group is The Olde Worldly Tram Inn Eardisley

With its name recalling a 19th-century, narrow-gauge, horse-drawn railway, this 16th-century inn is one of Eardisley's many traditional, black-and-white-timbered buildings.

Steam engines replaced horses in the 1850s and evidence of this can still be seen, as in the notice below to engine drivers, from the year 1864

I saw the sign on an outbuilding as I was going for a pee. My hands were wobbly, and I didn’t frame the image properly, and I left the date & time stamp activated!

Well I’d had a good meal and a few drinks, and I was in a hurry! You get the picture!

Wood-burning stoves warm the bar for the Wye Valley Butty Bach Beer drinkers who, in summer, might be found playing boules in the garden.
Landlords Mary and Kerry Vernon like to champion their 28-day-aged steaks.
And quite right too, as a visit will confirm, although they'd understand if instead you chose Glamorgan sausages (Caerphilly cheese, leek and herb), warm tomato coulis and sweet potato fries; roasted loin of pork with stuffing, crackling and apple sauce; or one of their steak, ale and button mushroom pies – Yummy.

The Pub is not far from Hay-On -Wye (the Second-Hand Book Capital of The World) and advance notices are out for the world famous annual festival this year on May 24th to June 3rd 2018

https://www.hayfestival.com/Default.aspx

Famous people from the world over descend on this quaint town on the welsh border. Many to perform, and thousands to enjoy, the entertainment and the busy buzzing atmosphere.

A regular on The Daily Telegraph stand is their popular cartoonist Matt. Which leads me onto -

Cartoons

I've been a fan of cartoons as long as I can remember. The cartoon originated as a preliminary drawing for a painting and the rough sketches were quickly drawn and often unintentionally funny.

This led to their development into an art form in their own right, and the joy is they can be about anything, and in many styles. Top cartoonists being recognised by technique, without need of a signature.

Matt of ‘The Daily Telegraph’ is in that category of fame, and further down this post I show some of his work celebrating 30 years of cartoon art with the newspaper.

But my interest in cartoons grew through Private Eye.It is a British fortnightly satirical and current affairs news magazine, founded in 1961.

It is published in London and has been edited by Ian Hislop since 1986.

It's popularity with the public stems from its irreverent criticism and lampooning of public figures such as politicians and media tycoons, and of organisations that it considers incompetent, inefficient, corrupt, pompous or self-important; it has established itself as a thorn in the side of the British establishment.

It is also known for its in-depth investigative journalism into under-reported scandals and cover-ups.

Private Eye is Britain's best-selling current affairs magazine, and such is its long-term popularity and impact that many of its recurring in-jokes have entered popular culture.

The magazine bucks the trend of declining circulation for print media, having recorded its highest ever circulation in the second half of 2016.

I found it impossible to choose one Private Eye cartoon for this Steemit post from the hundreds I have, and I apologise for being un-Private Eye cowardly, by choosing a non-political one not cruelly sending up a politician.

My grandson started a new job today as The Health & Safety officer for a building company. So, I've chosen a topical one.

Image credit Private Eye/Ken Pyne

Except I suppose it’s not now topical. ‘Builders Bums' are a fast disappearing sight, as modern building techniques have made labourers digging foundation trenches with pickaxe and shovel redundant.

30 Years of Matt Cartoons - A Celebration

I like the way Matt depicts we elderlies. I can't find the one that was typical of the time my doctor asking me about my alcohol intake. Matt had the character saying - " Well its a bit early for me, but I'll have a gin & tonic"

I wish I'd thought of that.

image credit' Private Eye'