Racey Helps
Encyclopedia
Angus Clifford Racey Helps was an English children's author and illustrator
. His books were written in a simple style and featured woodland creatures and birds, with illustrations by the author. He is known for illustrating postcard
s, greeting card
s, jigsaw puzzle
s, playing card
s and wrapping paper
.
in 1913 of English-Scots descent, and spent his childhood in the hamlet of Chelvey, Somerset
. He was privately educated at a vicarage and later at Bristol Cathedral School
. Leaving school he entered the antiquarian book business and attended the West of England College of Art.
Helps married Irene Orr on 8th April 1936 and his daughter, Anne, was born in July 1937. He used to tell his young daughter a bedtime story every night. His first success as an author-artist came during World War II
with stories written for her. When the war came, Anne was packed off to a less noisy part of the country, but she still insisted on her story, and so Helps wrote them down for her, drew pictures to illustrate them, and sent them to her. During this time Helps and his wife lived in Shepton Mallet
in Somerset and were hosts to many young American soldiers based in the town. Racey and Irene Helps ran a hairdressing salon in Shepton Mallet, and on one occasion a publisher happened to drop in and picked up one of these handwritten and illustrated booklets. Having established who was the author of this item, Helps was invited to London to discuss publication of future work with William Collins
& Son, with whom he first became associated and subsequently, the Medici Society.
Helps's son, Julian, was born in 1949 and, for a while, the family lived in Clevedon
, Somerset and then moved to Saltford
near Bath, Somerset. In 1962 Racey, Irene, Anne and Julian Helps moved to Barnstaple
in Devon
, and the surrounding countryside provided inspiration his pictures.
At the age of 57, Helps suffered a fatal heart attack at his Barnstaple home.
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
. His books were written in a simple style and featured woodland creatures and birds, with illustrations by the author. He is known for illustrating postcard
Postcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
s, greeting card
Greeting card
A greeting card is an illustrated, folded card featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feeling. Greeting cards,...
s, jigsaw puzzle
Jigsaw puzzle
A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of numerous small, often oddly shaped, interlocking and tessellating pieces.Each piece usually has a small part of a picture on it; when complete, a jigsaw puzzle produces a complete picture...
s, playing card
Playing card
A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games...
s and wrapping paper
Wrapping Paper
"Wrapping Paper" is a song with music composed by Jack Bruce and lyrics by Pete Brown, performed by Cream and originally released as a single in 1966 with "Cat's Squirrel" as the B side. It is featured on The Very Best of Cream...
.
Biography
Helps was born in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in 1913 of English-Scots descent, and spent his childhood in the hamlet of Chelvey, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. He was privately educated at a vicarage and later at Bristol Cathedral School
Bristol Cathedral School
Bristol Cathedral Choir School , until 2008 known as Bristol Cathedral School, is a non-selective musical Academy in Bristol, England. It is situated next to Bristol Cathedral, in the centre of the city. The choristers at Bristol Cathedral are educated at the school, which has a strong musical...
. Leaving school he entered the antiquarian book business and attended the West of England College of Art.
Helps married Irene Orr on 8th April 1936 and his daughter, Anne, was born in July 1937. He used to tell his young daughter a bedtime story every night. His first success as an author-artist came during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with stories written for her. When the war came, Anne was packed off to a less noisy part of the country, but she still insisted on her story, and so Helps wrote them down for her, drew pictures to illustrate them, and sent them to her. During this time Helps and his wife lived in Shepton Mallet
Shepton Mallet
Shepton Mallet is a small rural town and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset in South West England. Situated approximately south of Bristol and east of Wells, the town is estimated to have a population of 9,700. It contains the administrative headquarters of Mendip District Council...
in Somerset and were hosts to many young American soldiers based in the town. Racey and Irene Helps ran a hairdressing salon in Shepton Mallet, and on one occasion a publisher happened to drop in and picked up one of these handwritten and illustrated booklets. Having established who was the author of this item, Helps was invited to London to discuss publication of future work with William Collins
William Collins (publisher)
William Collins was a Scottish schoolmaster and publisher.Collins was born near Glasgow in 1789. In 1819 he set up a publishing business, initially selling religious books. He produced the first Collins dictionary in 1824, when he also obtained a licence to publish the Bible...
& Son, with whom he first became associated and subsequently, the Medici Society.
Helps's son, Julian, was born in 1949 and, for a while, the family lived in Clevedon
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
, Somerset and then moved to Saltford
Saltford
Saltford is a large village and civil parish in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority, Somerset, England. It lies between the cities of Bristol and Bath....
near Bath, Somerset. In 1962 Racey, Irene, Anne and Julian Helps moved to Barnstaple
Barnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, and the surrounding countryside provided inspiration his pictures.
At the age of 57, Helps suffered a fatal heart attack at his Barnstaple home.
Partial bibliography
- Footprints in the Snow Collins (1946)
- The Upside-Down Medicine Collins (1946)
- Barnaby Camps Out Collins (1947)
- My Friend Wilberforce Collins (1948)
- Barnaby in Search of a House Collins (1948)
- Littlemouse Crusoe Collins (1948)
- Tippetty's Treasure Collins (1949)
- Nobody Loves Me. The story of a Dutch doll Collins (1950)
- Many Happy Returns Collins (1951)
- Barnaby and the Scare-Crow Collins (1953)
- Little Tommy Purr Collins (1954)
- Two from a Tea-Pot Collins (1954)
- Two's Company Collins (1955)
- Barnaby's Spring Clean Collins (1956)
- Prickly Pie Collins (1957)
- The Tail of Hunky Dory Collins (1958)
- Kingcup Cottage Medici Society (1962)
- Diggy Takes His Pick Medici Society (1964)
- "Mr. Roley to the Rescue" Chilton Books (1966)
- The Blow-Away Balloon World Distributors (1967)
- The Clean Sweep World Distributors (1967)
- Pinny Takes a Bath World Distributors (1967)
- Selina the Circus Seal Chilton Book (1967)
- Just Wilberforce Medici Society (1970)
- Pinny's Holiday Medici Society (1970)
- Guinea-pig Podge Medici Society (1971)
- Racey Helps' Picture Book, verses by Celia Barrow Medici Society (1984)