Charles Henry Chapman (1879–1972), who signed his work as C. H. Chapman, was a British
illustrator
An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicat ...
and
cartoon
A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...
ist best known for his work in boys'
story papers
A story paper is a periodical publication similar to a literary magazine, but featuring illustrations and text stories, and aimed towards children and teenagers. Also known in Britain as "boys' weeklies", story papers were phenomenally popular ...
such as ''
The Magnet'' where the character
Billy Bunter appeared. He later illustrated Bunter cartoon strips and several Bunter books published in the 1950s and 1960s.
Life
Chapman was born in
Thetford,
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, on 1 April 1879, and attended
Kendrick School in
Reading, Berkshire
Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, Southeast England, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers River Thames, Thames and River Kennet, Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 mot ...
, where he created and illustrated a school magazine, ''The Kendrick Comet''. He studied art at the
University of Reading, after which he was apprenticed to an architect. He had his first drawing published in the story paper ''The Captain'' in 1900, and over the next ten years drew for story papers and comics including ''Marvel'', ''Pluck'', the ''
Boy's Friend'', ''Boy's Herald'', ''Boy's Leader'', ''
Illustrated Chips
''Illustrated Chips'' was a British comic magazine published between 26 July 1890 and 12 September 1953. Its publisher was the Amalgamated Press, run by Alfred Harmsworth. Priced at a half-penny, ''Illustrated Chips'' was among a number of Harm ...
'', ''
Comic Cuts
''Comic Cuts'' was a British comic magazine. It was published from 1890 to 1953, lasting for 3006 issues. It was created by the reporter Alfred Harmsworth through his company Amalgamated Press (AP). In its early days, it inspired other publishe ...
'', ''Jester'', ''
Big Budget'', and ''
Ally Sloper's Half Holiday
''Ally Sloper's Half Holiday'' was a British comics magazine, first published on 3 May 1884. It is regarded to be the first comic strip magazine to feature a recurring character. Star Ally Sloper, a blustery, lazy schemer often found "sloping" th ...
''.
[Alan Clark, ''Dictionary of British Comic Artists, Writers and Editors'', The British Library, 1998, pp. 37-38]
From 1911 to 1940 he illustrated
Charles Hamilton Charles Hamilton may refer to:
People in Canada
* Charles Hamilton (bishop) (1834–1919), Anglican bishop of Ottawa
* Charles Edward Hamilton (1844–1919), Canadian politician
* Sir Charles Hamilton, 2nd Baronet, of Marlborough House (1767–184 ...
's
Greyfriars School stories, featuring Billy Bunter, for ''
The Magnet'', also drawing the magazine's covers until 1926.
When the comic ''
Knockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
'' launched in 1938 with a Billy Bunter comic strip, Chapman drew the early instalments before being replaced by
Frank Minnitt
Frank John Minnitt (3 September 1894 – 12 May 1958) was a British illustrator and cartoonist who drew for over 100 comic papers from the 1920s to the 1950s. He is perhaps best known for his depictions of Billy Bunter in the comic '' Knockout' ...
.
[Denis Gifford, ''Encyclopedia of Comic Characters'', Longman, 1987, p. 26] On the death of
R. J. Macdonald in 1954 he took over illustrating the Billy Bunter novels. In the 1950s and '60s he illustrated Cassell's ''Billy Bunter's Own'' annuals.
In the mid-1960s he moved to Wingfield, Tokers Green Lane,
Tokers Green
Tokers Green is a hamlet in South Oxfordshire, England, about north of Reading, Berkshire. Its village neighbours are Chazey Heath and Kidmore End
Kidmore End is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, centred NNW of Reading, ...
, to the north of Caversham, commuting daily from Reading to London by train for many years. He died in 1972, survived by two daughters, Dorothy and Marjorie.
[John C. Chapman]
C. H. Chapman - Reflections from a grandson
''Book and Magazine Collector'', 1 December 2011
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, C H
1879 births
1972 deaths
People from Thetford
20th-century British illustrators
People educated at Thetford Grammar School