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Captain Charles Bruce Bairnsfather (9 July 1887 – 29 September 1959) was a prominent British humorist and cartoonist.
Bairnsfather's best-known cartoon character is "Old Bill".
Bill and his pals Bert and Alf feature in Bairnsfather's weekly "Fragments from France" cartoons published weekly in "The Bystander" magazine during the Great War.
Born to a military family in Murree, British India (now Pakistan), Bairnsfather spends his early life in India.
He was brought to England in 1895 to be educated at the United Services College, Westward Ho!, then at Stratford-upon-Avon.
Initially intending a military career, Bairnsfather fails entrance exams to Sandhurst and Woolwich Academies but joined the Cheshire Regiment.
He was brought to England in 1895 to be educated at the United Services College, Westward Ho!, then at Stratford-upon-Avon.
Initially intending a military career, Bairnsfather fails entrance exams to Sandhurst and Woolwich Academies but joined the Cheshire Regiment.
Bairnsfather resigns in 1907 to become an artist, studying at the John Hassall School of Art.
Unsuccessful at first, Bairnsfather works as an electrical engineer.
Working this capacity for the Old Memorial Theatre, Stratford, brought him into acquaintance with Marie Corelli, who introduced him to Thomas Lipton, a connection that led to commissions to draw advertising sketches for Lipton tea, Player's cigarettes, Keen's Mustard, and Beecham's Pills.
Unsuccessful at first, Bairnsfather works as an electrical engineer.
Working this capacity for the Old Memorial Theatre, Stratford, brought him into acquaintance with Marie Corelli, who introduced him to Thomas Lipton, a connection that led to commissions to draw advertising sketches for Lipton tea, Player's cigarettes, Keen's Mustard, and Beecham's Pills.
In 1914 Bairnsfather joins the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and serves with a machine gun unit in France until 1915, when he was hospitalised with shell shock and hearing damage sustained during the Second Battle of Ypres.
Posted to the 34th Division headquarters on Salisbury Plain, Bairnsfather develops his humorous series for "The Bystander" about life in the trenches, featuring "Old Bill", a curmudgeonly soldier with trademark walrus moustache and balaclava.
Posted to the 34th Division headquarters on Salisbury Plain, Bairnsfather develops his humorous series for "The Bystander" about life in the trenches, featuring "Old Bill", a curmudgeonly soldier with trademark walrus moustache and balaclava.
The best remembered of these shows Bill with another trooper in a muddy shell hole with shells whizzing all around.
The other trooper is grumbling and Bill advises:
| “ | Well, If you knows of a better 'ole, go to it. | ” |
Many of Bairnsfather's cartoons from this period were collected in Fragments From France (1914) and the autobiographical Bullets & Billets (1916).
Despite the immense popularity with the troops and massive sales increase for the Bystander, initially there were objections to the "vulgar caricature".
Nevertheless, their success in raising morale led to Bairnsfather's promotion and receipt of a War Office appointment to draw similar cartoons for other Allies forces.
Nevertheless, their success in raising morale led to Bairnsfather's promotion and receipt of a War Office appointment to draw similar cartoons for other Allies forces.
In 1921 Bairnsfather married Cecilia Agnes Scott.
"Old Bill" and Bairnsfather himself continue in popularity between the World Wars.
Many police officers of the time had similar facial hair, and that may have led to British police being referred to as "The Bill".
Many police officers of the time had similar facial hair, and that may have led to British police being referred to as "The Bill".
Bairnsfather was the subject of one of the first British sound film in 1927, wrote and directed the 1928 Canadian film Carry On Sergeant, and took part in the early Alexandra Palace television transmissions in 1936.
Old Bill appeared in numerous books, plays, musicals and films.
In 1939 he published an autobiography, "Wide Canvas".
In World War II, Bairnsfather continues Old Bill work, but was not asked to help with the British war effort.
Instead, he became official cartoonist to the American forces in Europe, contributing to Stars and Stripes and Yank, whilst residing at Cresswell House in Clun, Shropshire.
Instead, he became official cartoonist to the American forces in Europe, contributing to Stars and Stripes and Yank, whilst residing at Cresswell House in Clun, Shropshire.
Bairnsfather also drew cartoons at American bases and nose art on aircraft.
Bairnsfather's works are considered to have influenced artists such as Bill Mauldin.
Bairnsfather's works are considered to have influenced artists such as Bill Mauldin.
In later life, Bairnsfather had found himself typecast as the creator of Old Bill, and his Times obituary concluded of his career that he was
"fortunate in possessing a talent ... which suited almost to the point of genius one particular moment and one particular set of circumstances; and he was unfortunate in that he was never able to adapt, at all happily, his talent to new times and new circumstances".
"fortunate in possessing a talent ... which suited almost to the point of genius one particular moment and one particular set of circumstances; and he was unfortunate in that he was never able to adapt, at all happily, his talent to new times and new circumstances".
The blue plaque was initiated by Tonie and Valmai Holt who later wrote Bairnsfather's biography,
"In Search of the Better 'Ole:
the Life, the Works and the Collectables of Bruce Bairnsfather",
and also sponsored a memorial plaque to Bairnsfather on the cottage at St Yvon in Belgium at the edge of Plugstreet Wood where Bairnsfather drew his first 'trench' cartoons.
"In Search of the Better 'Ole:
the Life, the Works and the Collectables of Bruce Bairnsfather",
and also sponsored a memorial plaque to Bairnsfather on the cottage at St Yvon in Belgium at the edge of Plugstreet Wood where Bairnsfather drew his first 'trench' cartoons.
A plaque commemorating Bruce Bairnsfather was unveiled at his former home, Victoria Spa Lodge, Bishopton, Stratford upon Avon on 10 September 2005 by cartoonist Bill Tidy.
The plaque was instigated by Mark Warby, editor of "The Old Bill Newsletter", the official journal for Bairnsfather enthusiasts and collectors.
On 24 September 2011 a plaque commemorating Bruce Bairnsfather was unveiled on the wall of Colwall Royal British Legion Club in Crescent Road, Colwall, near Malvern in Worcestershire.
The plaque was instigated by the Colwall Village Society and was unveiled by Mark Warby.
Bairnsfather lived in Colwall from 1951 to 1954 and was well-known at the British Legion Club in the village.
Bairnsfather lived in Colwall from 1951 to 1954 and was well-known at the British Legion Club in the village.
Bill & Alphie's, the Royal Military College of Canada's on-campus cadet pub in Kingston, Ontario is named after Bruce Bairnsfather's Great War cartoon characters.
Yeo Hall at the College of Canada features sculptures of Bill and Alphie.
There is a large mural drawn on the wall of the main staircase in the Royal British Legion Victory House Club in Ludlow Shropshire.
References
Bairnsfather, Bruce (1939). Wide Canvas: An Autobiography. London: John Long. p. 252.
Capt. Bruce Bairnsfather: Creator Of "Old Bill", The Times, 30 Sep 1959
"Bruce Bairnsfather plaque in London". OpenPlaques. http://openplaques.org/plaques/584. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
^ "Bishopton 2005 Reunion". brucebairnsfather.org. http://www.brucebairnsfather.org.uk/index_files/page0109.htm. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
Filmography
- The Better 'Ole Welsh-Pearson Films (1918)
- Old Bill Through the Ages Ideal Films (1924) - personal appearance
- The Better 'Ole Warner Bros (1926)
- Old Bill's Christmas RKO (1930)
- Old Bill & Son Legeran Films (1941)
External links
- http://www.brucebairnsfather.org.uk - Official Website
- Bruce Bairnsfather and Old Bill Dugout - The first tribute website
- Fragments from France - scans from World War I work
- Works by Bruce Bairnsfather at Project Gutenberg
- www.brucebairnsfather.com official website
- http://guide-books.co.uk/bairnsfather.html - Bairnsfather biography
- http://www.bb4h4h.co.uk/- Bairnsfather 50th Anniversary Commemorations
- British Pathe film of Bruce Bairnsfather, 1923
- British Pathe film showing Bairnsfather sketching Prime Minister David Lloyd George, 1910
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bruce Bairnsfather |
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