William St. John Glenn
Encyclopedia
William St. John Glenn was born in Belfast
and at sixteen he had his first drawing reproduced in Ireland’s Saturday Night. This early success prompted him to seek a career in art. To gain experience, in 1919, he entered the Artists’ Department in a small publishing house, Graham & Heslip Ltd and for over five years illustrated countless booklets, and did figure sketches in black and white and colour.
. In August the Belfast Telegraph appointed him to the Editorial Staff. It was in this same year at a Halloween Party that he met his future wife, Dorothea, and soon his strip cartoon character “Oscar” had a glamorous wife inspired by the real person. "Oscar" was subsequently syndicated in South Africa
and Australia
.
While with the Belfast Telegraph he became a Member of the Institute of Journalists, and wrote his own column on topical subjects. He also had the opportunity to be involved in experimental press photography.
In 1931 the first exhibition of the Ulster Academy of Art was opened in the Municipal Art Gallery, Belfast
. William St. J. Glenn exhibited two watercolours and over the coming five years he exhibited mainly watercolours and oil paintings. His subjects varied from portraits and landscapes to markets, a printing press and Gipsy scenes. He also exhibited in the Royal Hibernian Academy exhibition in Dublin in 1936.
William St. J. Glenn was happy to talk to community groups about his work and enjoyed organising the annual Ulster Arts Ball.
William St. J. Glenn was elected a Member of the Order of Honorary Academicians of the Royal Ulster Academy on 12 January 1968.
Dublin Opinion
Dublin Opinion
was a humorous monthly magazine established in the early days of the Irish Republic and William St. J. Glenn was contributing cartoons from 1928, signed “W. St John.” Over the next forty years he contributed cartoons often portraying glamorous, sophisticated young men and women, but alongside these, from 1938 he produced a full page scraperboard drawing of country folk in a mythical village called "Ballyscunnion". “It was an encapsulation of every village and villager of the time with all their idiosyncrasies and all their foibles.” So wrote Pat Donlon.
In drawing “Ballyscunnion” William St. J. Glenn used a scraperboard covered in white china that could be inked black and scratched, giving an effect rather like a woodcut. "Rarely can the medium have been more brilliantly used," said Charles E. Kelly, the editor of Dublin Opinion.
announced a new comic strip that would run daily and start the next day. It was called "Dorothea" and featured an attractive young woman inspired by William St. J. Glenn's wife of the same name. He started supplying the Daily Mail with the "Dorothea" strip while still with the Belfast Telegraph, but when the Daily Mail was sure of the success of “Dorothea”, he and his family moved to London. Within six months William St. J. Glenn joined the staff of the Daily Mail. The “Dorothea” strip attracted favourable attention from the art world for its experimental layout and from women readers for the fashionable style of clothing. It continued until the growing threat of war forced major changes in newspapers in the Spring of 1939. "Dorothea” was syndicated to The Friend in South Africa in 1937 and also appeared in Australia.
During the next year William St J. Glenn stayed in London freelancing cartoons and illustrating articles for many London newspapers and magazines. Then after recovering from major surgery for a brain tumour in 1940, he joined the Ministry of Information, working in the photographs and pictures division until 1945.
He continued as an artist contributing illustrations to The Daily Mail Annual for Boys and Girls and designing covers for the Teddy Tail Annuals.
1951 brought new worries. After another brain operation, William St. J. Glenn returned to the Daily Mail to draw “Teddy Tail” daily for the newspaper until it stopped appearing in December 1960. The Daily Mail also introduced a "Blue Spot" Annual of Children's Favourite Stories. There were three different editions of the "Blue Spot Annuals." William St.J. Glenn designed the outside covers for all three and illustrated stories in each book.
Retiring from the Daily Mail after more brain surgery in 1961, William St. J. Glenn devoted some of his leisure to helping the Chelsea Cine Club, and writing articles on Chelsea’s riverside illustrated by photos.
William St. J Glenn died in hospital in Chelsea
in June 1974.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and at sixteen he had his first drawing reproduced in Ireland’s Saturday Night. This early success prompted him to seek a career in art. To gain experience, in 1919, he entered the Artists’ Department in a small publishing house, Graham & Heslip Ltd and for over five years illustrated countless booklets, and did figure sketches in black and white and colour.
1926-1936 - The Belfast Telegraph and “Oscar”
In May 1926, at the age of 21, William St. J. Glenn saw his own strip cartoon called “Oscar” appear daily in the Belfast Telegraph. “Oscar” featured a little man with a long nose who wore the baggy trousers of the period known as Oxford BagsOxford bags
Oxford bags were a loose-fitting baggy form of trousers favoured by members of the University of Oxford, especially undergraduates, in England during the early 20th century from the 1920s to around the 1950s...
. In August the Belfast Telegraph appointed him to the Editorial Staff. It was in this same year at a Halloween Party that he met his future wife, Dorothea, and soon his strip cartoon character “Oscar” had a glamorous wife inspired by the real person. "Oscar" was subsequently syndicated in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
While with the Belfast Telegraph he became a Member of the Institute of Journalists, and wrote his own column on topical subjects. He also had the opportunity to be involved in experimental press photography.
The Ulster Academy of Art
In 1931, William St J. Glenn was elected a member of the Ulster Academy of Art and on 23 January 1936 elected a full Academician and Vice-President.In 1931 the first exhibition of the Ulster Academy of Art was opened in the Municipal Art Gallery, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. William St. J. Glenn exhibited two watercolours and over the coming five years he exhibited mainly watercolours and oil paintings. His subjects varied from portraits and landscapes to markets, a printing press and Gipsy scenes. He also exhibited in the Royal Hibernian Academy exhibition in Dublin in 1936.
William St. J. Glenn was happy to talk to community groups about his work and enjoyed organising the annual Ulster Arts Ball.
William St. J. Glenn was elected a Member of the Order of Honorary Academicians of the Royal Ulster Academy on 12 January 1968.
Dublin OpinionDublin OpinionDublin Opinion was an Irish satirical magazine, published monthly from 1922 to 1968. It was founded by cartoonists Arthur Booth and Charles E. Kelly and writer Thomas J. Collins. Booth was its first editor, and drew the covers of the early issues. The first issue was launched on 1 March 1922, and...
and “BallyscunnionBallyscunnionBallyscunnionDublin Opinion was an imaginary village in Ireland created by the artistWilliam St.John Glenn R.U.A. The work was produced on white china scraperboard, painted with black ink and then scraped off skilfully with a blade to produce details....
.”
Dublin OpinionDublin Opinion
Dublin Opinion was an Irish satirical magazine, published monthly from 1922 to 1968. It was founded by cartoonists Arthur Booth and Charles E. Kelly and writer Thomas J. Collins. Booth was its first editor, and drew the covers of the early issues. The first issue was launched on 1 March 1922, and...
was a humorous monthly magazine established in the early days of the Irish Republic and William St. J. Glenn was contributing cartoons from 1928, signed “W. St John.” Over the next forty years he contributed cartoons often portraying glamorous, sophisticated young men and women, but alongside these, from 1938 he produced a full page scraperboard drawing of country folk in a mythical village called "Ballyscunnion". “It was an encapsulation of every village and villager of the time with all their idiosyncrasies and all their foibles.” So wrote Pat Donlon.
In drawing “Ballyscunnion” William St. J. Glenn used a scraperboard covered in white china that could be inked black and scratched, giving an effect rather like a woodcut. "Rarely can the medium have been more brilliantly used," said Charles E. Kelly, the editor of Dublin Opinion.
"Dorothea" 1936-1939
On Monday 31 August 1936 the Daily MailDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
announced a new comic strip that would run daily and start the next day. It was called "Dorothea" and featured an attractive young woman inspired by William St. J. Glenn's wife of the same name. He started supplying the Daily Mail with the "Dorothea" strip while still with the Belfast Telegraph, but when the Daily Mail was sure of the success of “Dorothea”, he and his family moved to London. Within six months William St. J. Glenn joined the staff of the Daily Mail. The “Dorothea” strip attracted favourable attention from the art world for its experimental layout and from women readers for the fashionable style of clothing. It continued until the growing threat of war forced major changes in newspapers in the Spring of 1939. "Dorothea” was syndicated to The Friend in South Africa in 1937 and also appeared in Australia.
During the next year William St J. Glenn stayed in London freelancing cartoons and illustrating articles for many London newspapers and magazines. Then after recovering from major surgery for a brain tumour in 1940, he joined the Ministry of Information, working in the photographs and pictures division until 1945.
September 1945 - Back to the Daily Mail.
William St. J. Glenn returned to the Daily Mail as Features Editor. He initiated the Strip Cartoons Department and commissioned artists and photographersHe continued as an artist contributing illustrations to The Daily Mail Annual for Boys and Girls and designing covers for the Teddy Tail Annuals.
1951 brought new worries. After another brain operation, William St. J. Glenn returned to the Daily Mail to draw “Teddy Tail” daily for the newspaper until it stopped appearing in December 1960. The Daily Mail also introduced a "Blue Spot" Annual of Children's Favourite Stories. There were three different editions of the "Blue Spot Annuals." William St.J. Glenn designed the outside covers for all three and illustrated stories in each book.
Retiring from the Daily Mail after more brain surgery in 1961, William St. J. Glenn devoted some of his leisure to helping the Chelsea Cine Club, and writing articles on Chelsea’s riverside illustrated by photos.
“Ballyscunnion” Exhibition 1970.
There was an exhibition of original “Ballyscunnion” scraperboard drawings in the Irish Club, Eaton Square, London. Sir Charles Petrie, military historian opened the exhibition, and the editor of Dublin Opinion, Charles E. Kelly flew over from Ireland to be there. He suggested the collection should find a home in the National Gallery in Dublin because "I am sure the like of this will not be seen again.”William St. J Glenn died in hospital in Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
in June 1974.