When I worked at Haydock Park, there were no mobile phones. This I’m sure has changed though it’s many years since I have been at a racecourse, even though Cheltenham is just down the road. The bookmakers on course used tic tac men or were adept at the secret sign language themselves.There is one glaring inaccuracy in this rough drawing and that is the tic tac man looks cheerful and my more current memory is that bookmakers rarely looked cheerful, it made them look as if they were winning. Bad for business. The Race Days at the course were generally … Continue reading On course betting

A few drawings unearthed in recent days, when I thought of doing a series on horse racing. I have some limited experience in the field having worked at Haydock Park when I was 16, where my duties included cutting birch trees on Lord Derby’s estate a few miles away which were then transported down the East Lancs Road on a trailer pulled by a tractor, with me on the top of the load with a red flag! Picking litter after a race day and cursing the losers who tore up their betting slips and littered the grandstands, and ‘treading in’ … Continue reading Racing certainty

I’ve probably posted this before, but who cares. I bet I’m not the only one who tells a favourite story more than once, my best friends let me do it, then I get to the end and I look at them and they give me that look that tells me I’ve told it before. A sort of kindly smiling look, that is giving the impression that I’m losing my marbles, but they understand. My good friend Andy and I finished a children’s book and put it out there for sale about two weeks ago. We did not print a lot: … Continue reading Sammy the Salesman

Most people of my generation who work in graphics or illustration will be familiar with the Swann Morton scalpel. I’ve used this one since around 1980 and it is just about to retire. The blade holder can’t take it any more. So I’ve gone for an upgrade, the Swann Morton 2021. It’s exactly the same as this one, but someone has seen fit to add some engraved numbers on the handle, so you can use it to measure something relatively short! These things are made in Sheffield, not something I’d taken on board for many years until my son moved … Continue reading Scalpel retires…

Rootling around and finding some old ideas and in the spirit of recycling, here’s an old cartoon from an old cartoonist. There was a time when I thought it would be a good idea to ‘do jokes’ but the blank sheet of paper got the better of me. I prefer to be inspired by a subject and the possibility of being paid! This was for a client but I’m baffled about what it was for or if it ever got finished. It is a first round gh but like the last posting, does the job. Finish it up? No point … Continue reading No blogs for ages then three come all at once.

Found this when trawling around…Never got finished but actually quite happy with the drawing. Continue reading Job interview

I always think that September is a great time to take photographs. The light is our very good friend in this month. I’m posting a few from here, each with a small commentary. Hope you enjoy them. “What’s a phone box Granny?” my grandson asked the other day. How to explain. If you had no phone at home or in the unlikely event of needing to phone someone you could go to a red box and then if you put money into the black box inside the red box, you could be put through to talk to someone on the … Continue reading Rich pickings in September

So here we are again back in the 70s with panic at the pumps, and everyone blaming everyone for the mess we find ourselves in. This pump used to be in Uley, a small village just outside Stroud in Gloucestershire, lovely spot for a quiet drive. This photo taken some years ago, so not sure if this filling station has been re-developed. How driving has changed from those days when one pootled to and fro and lorry drivers had a mate. Yes, a lorry driver’s mate was a job description. I always wanted to be a lorry driver and fulfilled … Continue reading Pump action

My good friend Andy Harden wrote a charming tale last year for a children’s book. He had the great good sense to ask me if I could do some drawings for it and lockdown was a perfect opportunity to get involved. The book is out now and all the proceeds from the sale will go to Kingsway Primary School in Gloucester where Andy works as a teaching assistant. It’s been a joy to work on, and unusually I did the drawings for this project in colour. You can see them all on my website and you can also buy the … Continue reading Buy a mouse, support a school.

I’ve collaborated with Andy Harden to produce a children’s book. It’s now available for sale on my regular website Andy and I have funded the print for the book and all the proceeds will go to Kingsway Primary School where Andy works as a teaching assistant. I hope you’ll support this great cause. It was certainly a fun project to work on. Continue reading Henry Mouse. A Christmas Tale.

Yes, you read that right: I am a turtle. This is my latest attempt to try and learn Dutch on one of these on line language apps. Why learn Dutch, well it’s as near as I can get to my daughter in law’s language which is Flemish. When I am fluent they will be able to tell that I am not from their parts and probably hail from Amsterdam instead of Brussels.This is my second try at this but I am making better progress this time as I am getting into the right frame of mind of the lunatic who … Continue reading “Ik ben en schildpad”