Bernard Partridge Explained

Sir John Bernard Partridge (11 October 1861– 9 August 1945)[1] was an English illustrator. Born in London, he was the son of Professor Richard Partridge, F.R.S., president of the Royal College of Surgeons, and nephew of John Partridge, portrait-painter extraordinary to Queen Victoria. For some years he was well known as an actor under the name of Bernard Gould.

Education

Partridge was educated at Stonyhurst College where one of his fellow pupils was Arthur Conan Doyle.

Life and work

Partridge then worked for six months in the offices of architect H. Handsom, before joining the firm of Lavers, Barraud and Westlake, ecclesiastical designers, where he spent two years producing altar-pieces, stained-glass etc. He then studied decorative painting under Philip Westlake, 1880–1884. He began illustrating for the press and practised watercolour painting, but his chief success was derived from book illustration.

Partridge was very interested in the theatre and acted under the stage name Bernard Gould. He appeared in the first production of George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man. Many of his early drawings were of stage subjects or personalities, and some of his finest caricatures in later life were drawn from the world of the stage.

In 1891 Partridge joined the staff of Punch [2] and, in 1909, became its chief cartoonist, replacing Edward Linley Sambourne.[3] During his time at Punch, Partridge published several cartoons supporting the Suffragist movement.d He was elected a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours and of The Pastel Society.

A diploma designed by Partridge was presented to medal winners of the 1908 Summer Olympic Games in London.[4]

Partridge was a frequent exhibitor, exhibiting nearly 200 works in total.

In 1897 Partridge married Lydia Faith Harvey (1873-1961) of Finsbury Park. Lady Partridge maintained relationships with others in the art world before and after her husband's death. These included Sir Hugh Lane[5] and Margaret E. Wilson.[6] She died childless.[7] Partridge was still producing work for Punch until three months before his death, so readers of Punch had been viewing his cartoons for over fifty years.

World War I Works

1915 Partridge designed posters to encourage recruitment to the British Army. Take up the Sword of Justice was one of the most popular, printed by David Allen & Sons, for the British Parliamentary Recruiting Committee (PRC).[8] It features the sinking RMS Lusitania, drowning passengers, and a vengeful Lady Justice wielding the Sword of Justice.[9] State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, is just one of the many libraries and museums around the world which hold copies of this poster.[10]

Another work from this time that was well known to the populace was Unconquerable. It features Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and Albert I, the King of the Belgians. The cartoon was published by Punch in October 1914. This original was presented to the Queen of the Belgians by the Gardeners' Company, the purchase money going to the Belgian Relief Fund.[11] In 1917 copies of the poster, styled "the Greatest War Picture ...... in magnificent colour reproduction", which Partridge based on his original cartoon were sent by Punch to new subscribers as part of a promotion.[12] [13] In 1919 Punch sent complimentary copies of this poster to public libraries and Schools of Arts across Australia and New Zealand, many of which were framed and placed in their reading rooms.[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]

Persons who served overseas with Expeditionary Forces in an active war zone, and were disabled, received a King's Certificate of Discharge stating that they "Served with honour". The certificate was designed by Partridge in 1916, at the request of the War Office.[20] [21]

At this time he also designed postcards for Blue Cross Quarantine Kennels, for soldiers bringing home their pet dogs.[22]

Partridge was the twentieth of twenty illustrators selected by Percy V. Bradshaw for inclusion in his series The Art of the Illustrator (1917-1918) which presented a separate portfolio for each illustrator.

World War II Works

One of his most famous cartoons of this war was Salute to Malta. In it St. George, wearing the Maltese Cross, defends the stronghold of Malta against the dragon.[23]

Knight Bachelor

Partridge was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 1925 Birthday Honours on the advice of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and gave his support to the government during the General Strike.

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Obituary: Sir Bernard Partridge. The Times. 11 August 1945. 6.
  2. PARTRIDGE, Bernard. Who's Who. 1907. 59. 1362. 5 November 2016. 27 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140627141313/http://books.google.com/books?id=yEcuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1362. live.
  3. Web site: Collections Online British Museum . 2022-06-23 . www.britishmuseum.org . 23 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220623153623/https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG41224 . live .
  4. Web site: Diploma Olympic Games 1908 London . 2022-10-04 . www.olympic-museum.de . 24 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210624061804/https://olympic-museum.de/diploma/olympic-winner-diploma-1908.php . live .
  5. Web site: Partridge . Faith . 1910 . Letter from Faith Partridge to Hugh Lane asking him if he still wants the purple willow weed for his garden . 2022-10-05 . catalogue.nli.ie . English . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015637/https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000641916 . live .
  6. News: 25 February 1949 . Queen Mary Visits Artist's Studio . 2 . The Kensington News and West London Times . 5 October 2022 . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015652/https://www.findmypast.com.au/register . live .
  7. Web site: In 1911 England & Wales Census . 2022-10-05 . records.myheritagelibraryedition.com . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015640/https://records.myheritagelibraryedition.com/support . live .
  8. Book: Taylor, James . Your country needs you : the secret history of the ultimate propaganda poster . Saraband . 2013 . 9781908643117 . ebook . Glasgow . 2. Weapons of Mass Persuasion.
  9. Web site: Take Up the Sword of Justice . 2022-06-24 . Imperial War Museums . en . 24 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220624010019/https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/21133 . live .
  10. Web site: State Library Victoria - Viewer . 2022-06-23 . State Library Victoria . 7 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190207072322/https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/ . live .
  11. News: 20 March 1915 . LITERARY NOTES. . XCVIII . 44 . . 2,555 . Victoria, Australia . National Library of Australia . 24 June 2022 . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015639/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/142970208 . live .
  12. News: 13 October 1917 . "UNCONQUERABLE." . LX . 9 . . 18,409 . South Australia . National Library of Australia . 24 June 2022 . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015639/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5562301 . live .
  13. News: 13 October 1917 . Advertising . LX . 13 . . 18,409 . South Australia . National Library of Australia . 24 June 2022 . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015639/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5562377 . live .
  14. News: 29 July 1919 . GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. . 2 . . 5237 . Queensland, Australia . 5 October 2022 . National Library of Australia . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015639/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220518220 . live .
  15. News: 26 July 1919 . UNCONQUERABLE . 44 . 44 . . 30 . Queensland, Australia . 5 October 2022 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: 30 April 1919 . A WAR CARTOON. . XXX . 2 . . 2534 . New South Wales, Australia . 4 October 2022 . National Library of Australia . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015641/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/86109396 . live .
  17. News: 9 May 1919 . THE DEFENCE OF ARCHANGEL. . LVIII . 3 . . 5749 . South Australia . 5 October 2022 . National Library of Australia.
  18. News: 6 June 1919 . A GIFT FROM "PUNCH." . 2 . . 22,482 . Victoria, Australia . 5 October 2022 . National Library of Australia . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015640/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165742054 . live .
  19. Web site: 2 April 1919 . Southland Times . 2022-10-04 . paperspast.natlib.govt.nz . 4 . 4 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221004175813/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST19190402.2.16?end_date=31-12-1919&items_per_page=10&query=unconquerable+punch&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1919 . live .
  20. Web site: The Silver War Badge & Kings Certificate Of Discharge WW1 . 2022-10-04 . www.forces-war-records.co.uk . 10 December 2015 . 4 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220204074830/https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/blog/2015/12/10/the-silver-war-badge-and-kings-certificate-of-discharge . live .
  21. Web site: 30 May 1919 . Woodville Examiner . 2022-10-04 . paperspast.natlib.govt.nz . 4 . 4 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221004184025/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WOODEX19190530.2.23?end_date=31-12-1919&items_per_page=10&query=bernard+partridge&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1919 . live .
  22. Web site: Bernard Partridge - British Cartoon Archive - University of Kent . 2022-06-23 . www.cartoons.ac.uk . 23 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423101436/https://www.cartoons.ac.uk/cartoonist-biographies/o-p/BernardPartridge.html . live .
  23. Web site: WW2 Cartoons from Punch magazine by Bernard Partridge PUNCH Magazine Cartoon Archive . 2022-10-05 . magazine.punch.co.uk . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006015643/https://magazine.punch.co.uk/image/I0000O92MMh.LtO0 . live .

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