* boys clothing: illustrators Harold Earnshaw








English Illustrators: Harold Earnshaw (18??-19??)


Figure 1.--Here is an illustration by Harold Earnshaw. One of the interesting aspects of the British school books was not only the fascinating illustrations, but also the terminology such as the school slang here.

We know nothing yet about Harold Earnshaw's early life. We know that he was active as an illustrator in the early 20th century. We note some charming school and Boy Scout illustrations. He illustrated books as well as created postcards which were a popular medium at the time. He married another illustrator,Mabel Lucie Attwell. His career was affected when he lost his right arm in World War I. After the War he learned to draw with his left hand and continud his career.

Parents


Childhood


Mabel Lucie Attwell (1879-1864)

Mabel Lucie Attwell was born in Mile End, London (1879). She had an early interest in art and studied at the Regent School and Heatherly. The did not complete the academic program. She decided at the age of 16 years to contact an illustrators' agent (1895). The quality of her drawings impressed the agent who was able to sell her drawings. One especially important client was Raphael Tuck, a postcard firm. Some of her earliest work was published in the Bystander. After World War I she was a regular contributor to the Tatler during the 1920s. Her work, especially the Chubbies, is highly sentimental. Art critics have criticvised her for this sentimentality, but she was very popular with the public.

Family

Earnshaw met fellow illustrator Mabel Lucie Attwell at St. Martin’s School of Art. The two married in 1908. The had a daughter who they named Peggy. Peggy (much like Christopher Milne) was an inspiration for illustrations. Mabel found a inspiration in Peggy for her "Cubbies'--depictions of cherubic todlers with over-sized legs. This became the center piece of her career. She drew for W&R Chambers. Her illustrating were done in pen-and-ink or watercolour. She received a major commission to design light-spirited greeting cards for Valentine & Sons of Dundee, Scotland (1911). Her cards were popular during World War I and were sent to the men in the trenches in the thousands.

Illustrations

Earnshaw did six wonderful colour illustrations in The Pretenders (1908), a British school book. The illustrations depict schoolboys in typical Edwardian school wear. The imasge here is an example (Figure 1). We note many other illustrations by Earnshaw in a wide range of books. We know, however, very little information about Earshaw and his career. Earnshaw also illustrated variety of other books. We notice drawings of Boy Scouts: "A thrilling dream for any Scouts!" with a Boy Scout and American Indian theme and "What is that noise?" with a Boy Scout and Father Christmas theme. These were in an unidentified children's book. We also notioce illustrationjs thast were done as postcards. Not all of his illustrations depicted children. Some of the postcards depicted the heavily drinking upperclass.

World War I

Earnshaw served in World war I. He lost his right arm during the fighting which because he was right handed impaired his career as an illustrator.

Post-War Career

He continued to work after the War by learning to draw with his left hand. His wife, however, became the major source of family income. A reader tells us, "He did lose his right arm but promptly learned to draw just as well with the other and continued his career. From 1915 he collaborated with Elsie J Oxenham on a number of books, eg At School with the Roundheads (1915), A Go-Ahead Schoolgirl (1919), and Girls of the Hamlet Club (1928). Other examples of his work are:The Happy Xmas Annual (Allied Newspapers, 1920) (with others), Home Sunshine (by C D Bell published by Collins, c1920), Once Upon a Time: Hulton’s Children’s Annual (cover illustration and some of the colour plates, 1921), and Children's Stories From Scott (by Doris Ashley pubished by Raphael Tuck, c1926). He also produced books himself, such as Happy Little Folk (Blackie, 1922)."

Sources

Tinsley, Erica. E-mail message (March 13, 2012).







HBC







Navigate the HBC literary pages' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main English individual school book page]
[Return to the Main English illustrator page]
[Return to the Main illustrator page]
[Return to the Main English literary page]



Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction][Activities][Biographies][Chronology][Clothing styles][Countries][Literary]
[Bibliographies][Contributions][FAQs][Glossaries][Images][Links][Registration][Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]





Created: 7:59 PM 12/4/2004
Last updated: 12:47 PM 3/13/2012