Not currently on display at the V&A

Cartoon

1930 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of many pen and Indian ink cartoons drawn by William Kerridge Haselden (1872-1953) and reproduced in the magazine Punch from 1906 until 1936. Haselden was a self-taught artist who produced both political and theatrical cartoons, originally for Sovereign magazine from 1902-1903 and in 1904 for the next 31 years for the Daily Mirror. He was offered a knighthood by Stanley Baldwin but turned it down because he 'didn't want all that fuss'.

Norah Blaney and Gwen Farrar first worked together at the end of the First World War, entertaining the troops in Belgium and France with Lena Ashwell's concert party, with Norah Blaney as the pianist and Gwen Farrar as a cellist, performing with a constant flow of repartee. They appeared in leading London and variety theatres between about 1921 to 1924, as well as in the 1921 cabaret show Pot Luck! with Jack Hulbert and Beatrice Lillie; and the 1923 André Charlot revues Rats starring Alfred Lester and Gertrude Lawrence, and Yes! at the Vaudeville Theatre, Strand, London. In May 1924 they opened in another Charlot revue The Punch Bowl at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, with Alfred Lester, Sonnie Hale and Hermione Baddeley. They worked independently in the late 1920s but came together in 1930 for this production. They made a farewell appearance at the London Palladium in February 1932 but worked together again briefly to entertain the troops during the Second World War before the death of Gwen Farrar in 1944.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink on drawing board
Brief description
Cartoon of Gwen Farrar and Norah Blaney in their comedy piano and clarinet routine in The House that Jack Built, Winter Garden Theatre, 23 April 1930. Pen and ink by W.K. Haselden (1872-1944), for Punch magazine 6 January 1932. BTMA Collection.
Physical description
Pen and black ink cartoon of Norah Blaney at the piano dressed in a polka-dot dress and wearing Minnie Mouse ears, with Norah Blaney standing behind her dressed as Mickey Mouse, with Mickey Mouse ears, playing her tail as if it were a clarinet.
Dimensions
  • Height: 18.4cm
  • Width: 27.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • HASELDEN (Signature in black ink recto under the image of Gwen Farrar)
  • Miss Gwen Farrar Miss Norah Blaney "The House that Jack built" (Winter Garden) 23 April 1930: Punch (Inscribed recto under the image by the artist in black ink)
  • Roberson's Fashion Board 'B' Surface. C.Roberson & Co. Ltd., 99 Long Acre & 155-156 Piccadilly, London (Roberson's logo with image and details of sizes of the various drawing boards verso.)
Credit line
Given by the British Theatre Museum Association
Object history
This is one of a collection of drawings by W.K. Haselden given to the British Theatre Museum Association by Derek Pepys-Whiteley.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is one of many pen and Indian ink cartoons drawn by William Kerridge Haselden (1872-1953) and reproduced in the magazine Punch from 1906 until 1936. Haselden was a self-taught artist who produced both political and theatrical cartoons, originally for Sovereign magazine from 1902-1903 and in 1904 for the next 31 years for the Daily Mirror. He was offered a knighthood by Stanley Baldwin but turned it down because he 'didn't want all that fuss'.

Norah Blaney and Gwen Farrar first worked together at the end of the First World War, entertaining the troops in Belgium and France with Lena Ashwell's concert party, with Norah Blaney as the pianist and Gwen Farrar as a cellist, performing with a constant flow of repartee. They appeared in leading London and variety theatres between about 1921 to 1924, as well as in the 1921 cabaret show Pot Luck! with Jack Hulbert and Beatrice Lillie; and the 1923 André Charlot revues Rats starring Alfred Lester and Gertrude Lawrence, and Yes! at the Vaudeville Theatre, Strand, London. In May 1924 they opened in another Charlot revue The Punch Bowl at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, with Alfred Lester, Sonnie Hale and Hermione Baddeley. They worked independently in the late 1920s but came together in 1930 for this production. They made a farewell appearance at the London Palladium in February 1932 but worked together again briefly to entertain the troops during the Second World War before the death of Gwen Farrar in 1944.
Associated objects
Other number
1960/W/4 - BTMA accession number
Collection
Accession number
S.5027-2009

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Record createdFebruary 16, 2010
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