Tom Browne (1870 – 1910) was an extremely popular English strip cartoonist, painter and illustrator of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. Browne started earning a wage as a milliner's errand boy in 1882. From there he was apprenticed to a lithographic printer and eked out a living with freelance cartoons for London comic papers. He received 30 shillings for his first strip, published by the magazine “Scraps,” and called "He Knew How To Do It".
Comic Cuts, a British comic book was founded by Alfred Harmsworth in 1890. Cheaply printed, it proved to be the ideal medium for Browne's bold drawing style. Browne's comic strips soon became so popular that he moved to London and into a studio in Wollaton House at Westcombe Park, London. Here he turned out six full-page strips a week, but also managed to produce illustrations for several British magazines. His cartoons appeared in the magazines Punch, The Tatler and other highly rated periodicals of the day. The logo of Johnnie Walker whiskey, the strutting, monocled character, was created by Browne in 1908.
Browne was a founding member of the London Sketch Club, was publicly acclaimed and was made a “Royal Illustrator.” His cycling trips took him all over the world, while illustrations of these exploits appeared in the newspapers. Returning to Nottingham, he started a colour printing firm and joined the Territorial Army.
He also created the comic strip Weary Willie and Tired Tim, inspired by Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, which appeared on the front page of Illustrated Chips from 1896 to 1953. Browne played a major part in the evolution of the British comic style, influencing Bruce Bairnsfather, Didley Watkins and Leo Baxendale. His strip 'Airy Alf and Bouncing Billy' first appeared in The Big Budget around 1900, and was later continued by Ralph Hodgson aka "Yorick". His comic, Dan Leno, portrayed the Victorian English music hall comedian and appeared in Dan Leno's Comic Journal in 1898. Echoes of his impudent urchins can still be seen in The Beano and The Dandy comics today.
More of his characters were 'Little Willy and Tiny Tim', 'Mr. Stankey Deadstone and Company', 'The Rajah' and 'Don Quixote de Tintogs'. Browne died after surgery for cancer at the age of 39. He was buried with military honours at Shooter’s Hill.
For more information on Browne see part 1.
For earlier works see parts 1 - 3 also.
This is part 4 of 9 parts on the works of Tom Browne:
Postcards:
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"Johnny's Ma."
Johnny's Ma goes to a "Bargain" sale. |
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"Johnny's Ma."
Johnny's Ma is frightened of mice. |
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"Johnny's Ma."
Johnny's Ma makes Johnny a pair of trousers. |
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"Johnny's Ma."
Johnny's Ma meets a cow. |
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"Johnny's Ma."
Johnny's Ma sits up for Johnny's Pa. |
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"Johnny's Pa."
Johnny's Pa joins The volunteers. |
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"Johnny's Pa."
Johnny's Pa learns to play the Sax Horn. |
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"Johnny's Pa."
Johnny's Pa takes the children to the Zoo. |
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"Johnny's Pa."
Johnny's Pa tries to paper the breakfast room. |
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"Johnny's Pa."
Johnny's Pa tries to repair the roof of the wash-house. |
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"Joys of the Ocean"
How Binks attempted to swim The Channel. The Referee boat. |
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"Kissing."
The "Auntie" kiss. |
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"Kissing."
The "New Hat" Kiss. |
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"Kissing."
The Electioneering Kiss. |
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"Kissing."
The long lingering "Riverside' Kiss. |
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"Kissing."
The stolen Nursery Kiss. |
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| "Left your umbrella here last night did you? Is this the one?" |
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"Ma's little worries"
Ma crosses a busy street. |
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"Ma's little worries"
Ma goes shopping. |
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"Ma's little worries"
Ma is startled by the new tiger skin rug. |
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"Ma's little worries"
Ma's pet destroys Pa's new topper |
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"Motor Sports"
The "Passengers" or "Victoria Cross" Race. |
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"Motor Sports."
The Potato Race. |
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"Moving day."
The van horses bolt & the furniture is removed in record time. |
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"Moving Day."
Pa helps to get out the safe. |
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"Moving Day."
Pa helps to move the piano. |
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"Moving day."
Pa takes down the curtain pole |
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"My wife won't let me."
"You can't smoke in the house. If you want to smoke, go in the toolshed." |
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| "My wife won't let me." |
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"My wife won't let me."
Ladies' bathing machines |
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| "My wife won't let me." |
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"Only a question of £.S.D."
"What do you think?" |
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"Only a question of £.S.D."
I saw such a lovely hat to-day, dear. |
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"Only a question of £.S.D."
Landlady. "I can't wait any longer, Sir" |
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"Only a question of £.S.D."
Rates and Taxes Final Notice |
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"Our Servants."
"There's a strong smell of tobacco Jane." |
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"Our Servants."
Choosing a Mistress. |
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"Our Servants."
Engaging a Servant. |
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"Our Servants."
Waking up Eliza-Ann. |
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"Out on the Deep."
"Chicken broth, sir?"
"Go away and let me die" (groans) |
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"Out on the Deep."
Adrift. |
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"Out on the Deep."
Man overboard!! |
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"Out on the Deep."
Sailors bold. |
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"Out on the Deep."
Sea Fishing. |
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"Overworked Clerk."
Finished for the day (4.p.m.) |
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"Overworked Clerk."
After lunch. |
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"Overworked Clerk."
Hard at work. The Guv'nor walks in. |
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"Overworked Clerk."
Late again. |
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"Overworked Clerk."
Loafing. |
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"Overworked Clerk."
Luncheon. |
