McGill and Spurgin: The Leading Comic Postcard Artists in the First World War by David Marks
Humorous postcards were immensely popular during the First World War, as the Government encouraged their use as a means of communication, to bolster morale, stiffen resolve, and lift the spirit of the nation. They bound the community together, especially when laughing at some common hardship or adversity.
There were a number of British professional artists closely associated with the design of humorous postcards, or comic cards as they are usually called, and David’s presentation concentrates on the two leading artists of the genre, Donald McGill and Frederick Spurgin. It offers a unique perspective of the First World War on the Home Front and how these two artists found fame and recognition due to their cheeky, cutesy, frequently sarcastic and sometimes even risqué designs.
David is a committee member of The Great War Aviation Society and writes its quarterly e-newsletter, “Wind in the Wires”, which has over 2,000 subscribers. He is also a longstanding member of the Airship Heritage Trust. He is a contributor to books, journals, magazines on First World War subjects and his first book, “Let the Zeppelins Come”, focusing on the morale boosting impact of comic postcards to the British public, was published in March 2017 and received national press coverage. His second book "The Zeppelin Offensive: A German Perspective in Pictures and Postcards" was published in October 2019.
David regularly lectures on First World War subjects, drawing on his unique and extensive collection of postcards and contemporary memorabilia.
This meeting will be held in Cobham. Members of The Western Front Association and non-members are equally welcome. We ask for a modest £5 donation on the door. This includes tea, coffee and biscuits at the break (before the Q&A session with the speaker). It also includes free tickets for the book raffle.
Members joining us at Cobham can use our new cashless card system and use their credit card/phone with the new reader that will be available at the signing-in desk.
To help make things easier and safer, we are asking those coming to Cobham to bring their own mug for coffee or tea.
David’s talk starts at 8pm. Doors open at Cobham at 7:15pm and the meeting starts at 7:45pm