Ralph Whitworth
Encyclopedia
Ralph Whitworth was born in Sheffield
, UK on 29 May 1924.
Growing up in Sheffield, Ralph's family moved often but are known to have lived on Scotland Street and in Palm Lane, Crookes.
When Ralph turned 18 in 1942 he was conscripted into the army before volunteering for the elite Parachute Regiment. After training, Ralph took part in the D-Day Landings
on 6 June 1944 and the Rhine drops the following year.
Following the war, Ralph worked as a freelance cartoonist
while also working on building sites for much needed money.
He married Lois Stone in 1953. The following year they had their first son, Bill.
In the late 1950s he became the Sheffield Telegraph's news cartoonist.
The "Whitworth" cartoons quickly became a mainstay of Sheffield newspapers and Whitworth's fame quickly spread. Despite frequent requests to appear on television and in public, Whitworth remained a private man who maintained a distance from his increasingly famous cartoons.
Although he won an award for his work on the Profumo Affair
and even got a vote in the newspaper's Man of the Century
poll (he swore he didn't vote for himself), lifetime membership of the Playboy Club (never taken up) and gained a reputation as a cartoonists' cartoonist, the man himself remained private.
In January 1970, Ralph and Lois had a second son, the cartoonist and writer James Whitworth.
Throughout the 1970s Whitworth published a number of books, including the best selling Sheffieldish in which he illustrated local dialect sayings. It quickly ran into a second edition and remained a best seller for a number of years.
Ralph continued to work for the Sheffield Telegraph
until its closure in 1986. He joined the weekly Telegraph in 1989 where he remained until his death from cancer in 1998.
Ralph died on April 19 1998.
"Whitworth On..." a collection of cartoons was published in 2007 to much acclaim and much press coverage.
The Sheffield Telegraph published a 20th anniversary supplement in October 2009 in which current cartoonists Pete McKee and Gary Graham-Jenkinson paid tribute to Whitworth.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, UK on 29 May 1924.
Growing up in Sheffield, Ralph's family moved often but are known to have lived on Scotland Street and in Palm Lane, Crookes.
When Ralph turned 18 in 1942 he was conscripted into the army before volunteering for the elite Parachute Regiment. After training, Ralph took part in the D-Day Landings
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
on 6 June 1944 and the Rhine drops the following year.
Following the war, Ralph worked as a freelance cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
while also working on building sites for much needed money.
He married Lois Stone in 1953. The following year they had their first son, Bill.
In the late 1950s he became the Sheffield Telegraph's news cartoonist.
The "Whitworth" cartoons quickly became a mainstay of Sheffield newspapers and Whitworth's fame quickly spread. Despite frequent requests to appear on television and in public, Whitworth remained a private man who maintained a distance from his increasingly famous cartoons.
Although he won an award for his work on the Profumo Affair
Profumo Affair
The Profumo Affair was a 1963 British political scandal named after John Profumo, Secretary of State for War. His affair with Christine Keeler, the reputed mistress of an alleged Russian spy, followed by lying in the House of Commons when he was questioned about it, forced the resignation of...
and even got a vote in the newspaper's Man of the Century
Man of the Century
Man of the Century is a 1999 comedy film directed by Adam Abraham and written by Abraham and Gibson Frazier. The film stars Frazier, Cara Buono, Susan Egan, Dwight Ewell and Anthony Rapp. It is a farce about the attitudes, values, and slang displayed in the popular culture of the 1920s . Man of...
poll (he swore he didn't vote for himself), lifetime membership of the Playboy Club (never taken up) and gained a reputation as a cartoonists' cartoonist, the man himself remained private.
In January 1970, Ralph and Lois had a second son, the cartoonist and writer James Whitworth.
Throughout the 1970s Whitworth published a number of books, including the best selling Sheffieldish in which he illustrated local dialect sayings. It quickly ran into a second edition and remained a best seller for a number of years.
Ralph continued to work for the Sheffield Telegraph
Sheffield Telegraph
The Sheffield Telegraph is a weekly newspaper published in Sheffield, England.-History:Founded in 1855 as the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, it was the city's first daily newspaper, published at 08:00 each morning. The newspaper struggled until W. C...
until its closure in 1986. He joined the weekly Telegraph in 1989 where he remained until his death from cancer in 1998.
Ralph died on April 19 1998.
"Whitworth On..." a collection of cartoons was published in 2007 to much acclaim and much press coverage.
The Sheffield Telegraph published a 20th anniversary supplement in October 2009 in which current cartoonists Pete McKee and Gary Graham-Jenkinson paid tribute to Whitworth.