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G. H. Evison

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George Henry Evison
Portrait of G H Evison
G H Evison in 1899
Born(1871-11-25)25 November 1871
Bootle, Lancashire, England
Died1928(1928-00-00) (aged 56–57)
Harrow, England
Other namesSigned as G . H. Evison or Henry Evison
Occupation(s)Artist and Book Illustrator
Years active1890–1925[1]: 297 
Known forIllustrating the Daily Mail's Sixpenny Novels

George Henry Evison (25 November 1871 – 1928)[2] was a Lancastrian artist and book illustrator who illustrated many cheaper books with his strong line drawings. He illustrated magazines with both line drawings and colour wash drawings.

Early life

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Evison was born on 25 November 1871 in Bootle, Lancashire. He was the second child of William Flinn Evison (baptised 24 May 1831 – October 1872),[3][note 1] a clerk for the Liverpool and America shipping trade, and Sarah Ellen Emson (born third quarter 1845),[6] the daughter of a publican. His parents married on 28 May 1867 at St Simon's Parish in Liverpool.[7][8] Evison's elder sister Lillie (c. 1870 – 25 December 1871)[note 2] died shortly after he was born. Evison's father died the following year, before Evison's first birthday.

Training

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The former Liverpool School of Art

Evison began his career with a five-year apprenticeship to a lithographic artist in Liverpool, while attending evening classes at the Liverpool School of Art.[11] Typically, apprenticeships began at 14 or 15, and Evison would have been fourteen in November 1885. He attended the Liverpool School of Art[note 3] He was attending the school in September 1888 when he was awarded a small class prize (7s. 6d.) for attendance and success in exams.[13]

However, at the end of his apprenticeship (c. 1890), he was not satisfied with lithography, and gave it up in favour of pen and ink. He studied pen and ink drawing full-time under John Finnie[note 4] at the Liverpool School of Art, where he won a scholarship worth £60.[11]

Front Cover for The Poster for April 1900

He had already begun to have some drawings accepted by Magazines like Pick-me-up or Judy and this success led to him coming to London and joining the Slade School where he worked for 12 months. His April 1900 profile in The Poster and his cover illustration for that month indicate that he had found acceptance in London.[11]

Exhibiting

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Evison exhibited seven times at the Walker Gallery in Liverpool and four times at the Royal Academy.[14]: 169  His pieces at the Royal Academy were story illustrations in at least two cases.[15] At least one of his works shown at the Walker Gallery resulted in a sale, Tea-Time sold for £10 in 1894.[16]

Magazine illustration

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Initially Evison appears to have concentrated on magazine illustration. He contributed illustrations to a wide range of magazines including:

The Poster reported that by 1900 Evison had already worked for four of the Newnes publications[note 7] and four of Pearson's publications [note 8] as well as other magazines.[11]

Example of pen and ink magazine illustration

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Evison was a regular illustrator for George Newnes' Wide World Magazine. He did approximately two dozen illustrations for From Job to Job Around the World by Alfred C. B. Fletcher in Wide World Magazine Volume 37, May–October 1916. The serial story covers the adventures of two young Americans who set out from San Francisco to travel around the world with only $10 between them.[20]

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Book illustration

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Evison seems to have made a slow start at book illustration. It was only at the end of the first decade of the 20th century that he began to illustrate any significant number of books, and this grew to a flood with his illustrations of the Daily Mail'sixpenny novels.

The following list of books illustrated by Evison is far from complete. The principle sources are searches of the Jisc catalogue,[23][24][note 9] Additional libraries are being added all the time, and the catalogue collates national, university, and research libraries.[25][26] and the page about Evison[2] on the Charles Pearce Project.[note 10]

Partial list of books illustrated by Evison
No Author Year Title Publisher Pages Notes
1 George MacDonald 1893 A dish of orts: chiefly papers on the imagination, and on Shakspere [sic], Enlarged Edition London, Sampson Low and Company vi, 322 p., 8º [note 11]
2 George Humphery 1900 The haunted room : a phantasmal phantasy Sands & Co., London 217 p., 7 pl., 8º [24]
3 Eric Lisle 1907 Under Honour's Flag London, Frederick Warne & Co vi, 312 p., 8 illus., 8º [note 12]
4 George MacDonald 1908 Guild Court London, Edwin Dalton iv, 331p, illus. [note 13]
5 George MacDonald 1908 Stephen Archer London, Edwin Dalton 354 p., Illus. [note 14]
6 Herbert Escott Inman 1908 The Mill-Lass of Idderleigh London, Frederick Warne & Co vi. 424 p., 8º [23]
7 George MacDonald 1908 The vicar's daughter : an autobiographical story London, Sampson Low and Company vii,375p., 3pl. 8º [note 15]
8 George Mac Donald 1908 Weighed and wanting London, Edwin Dalton iv, 379 p., fs., 8º [note 16]
9 Stella. M. Düring 1910 Malicious Fortune London, Amalgamated Press vi. 154 p., 8º [note 17]
10 C. Ranger Gull 1910 Retribution London, Amalgamated Press vi. 150 p., 8º [note 18]
11 May Wynne 1911 Phil’s Cousins London, Blackie [2][36]
12 Effie Adelaide Rowlands 1911 For Ever and a Day London, Amalgamated Press 136 p., 8º [note 19]
13 Marie Connor Leighton and Robert Leighton 1911 In the Shadow of Guilt. A novel London, Amalgamated Press vi. 178 p., 8º [note 20]
14 Effie Adelaide Rowlands 1911 Leila Vane's Burden London, Amalgamated Press 138 p., 8º [note 21]
15 Stanley Portal Hyatt 1911 The Little Brown Brother London, Amalgamated Press vi. 142 p., 8º [note 22]
16 William Le Queux 1911 Treasure of Israel London, Amalgamated Press 124 p., 8º [note 23]
17 Meredith Nicholson 1912 The Port of Missing Men London, Amalgamated Press vi. 138 p., 8º [note 24]
18 Maurice Drake 1912 The Salving of a Derelict London, Amalgamated Press vi. 112 p. [note 25]
19 David Graham Phillips 1912 The Second Generation London, Amalgamated Press vi. 158 p., 8º [note 26]
20 Mary E. Mann 1912 The Sheep & the Goats London, Amalgamated Press vi. 136 p., 8º [note 27]
21 Annie S. Swan 1913 The Farrants: a story of struggle and victory London, Charles H. Kelly 352 p., illus., 8º [2]
22 Herbert Escott Inman 1913 Nancy Lee, Mill Lass London, Frederick Warne 416, 4pl., 8º [23]
23 Herbert Strang 1917 Carry On! A Story of the Fight for Bagdad London, Humphrey Milford, OUP 277 p., 8º [note 28]
24 John Lea 1920 Fights for Freedom – thrilling stories of heroic deeds in the Great War London, The Epworth Press Illus. [2]
25 T. C. Bridges 1920 Martin Crusoe: a boy’s adventure on Wizard Island London, George G. Harrap Col fs., pl., 8º [2]
26 Charles Dickens 1920 The Adventures of Oliver Twist [The Newberry Classics] London, David McKay Col fs., 4 b&w pl., 8º [2]
27 George Forbes 1920 Adventures in Southern Seas : a tale of the sixteenth century London, George G. Harrap & Co. 251 p., 8º [note 29]
28 T. C. Bridges 1921 The sky riders : a stirring tale of adventure round the world London, George G. Harrap & Co. 192 p., col fs., 4 b&w pl., 8º [24]
29 T. C. Bridges 1923 Men of the Mist London, George G. Harrap & Co. 4 pl. [2]
30 T. C. Bridges 1926 The Book of Discovery London, George G. Harrap & Co. Col fs., 4 b&w pl. [2]
31 John G. Rowe 1926 The Island Mine: a tale of adventure in tropic seas London, The Epworth Press Col. fs. [2]
32 Mona Tracy 1927 Rifle and Tomahawk: a stirring tale of the Te Kooti Rebellion London, George G. Harrap Col fs., 4 b&w pl. [note 30]
33 Various 1927 The Lucky Boys’ Budget London, Blackie & Son. [2]
34 Mona Tracy 1928 Lawless Days: a tale of adventure in Old New Zealand and other South Seas London, George Harrap & Co. Col fs., illus. [2]
35 R. J. McGregor 1928 The Secret Jungle London, The Sheldon Press 160 p., 8º [note 31]
36 Herbert Strang (ed.) 1934 The Great Book for Boys London, Humphrey Milford, OUP [2][41]
37 T. C. Bridges 1934 Recent Heroes of Modern Adventure London, George G. Harrap & Co. Fs. [2]
38 William M. Thayer UD From Log-Cabin to White House: Life of James A. Garfield London, Epworth Press Col fs., 4 b&w pl. [2]
39 Wingrove Willson (ed.) UD The World of Sport and Adventure London, Aldine Publishing Illus. [note 32]

Example of book illustrations

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The following illustrations are not from the cheap editions which featured Evison's strong pen and ink drawings, but from a full-priced Christmas book. The book was Under Honour's Flag {Frederick Warne & Co., London, (1907) by Rev. Eric Lisle.[note 33] Evison provide eight illustrations for the book, painted rather than in the pen and ink which he used for cheaper editions.

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Death

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Evison died in the second quarter of 1928,[43] probably in early June. He was buried on 5 June 1928 at All Saints Cemetery in Harrow.[44] At the time of his death, he was still living at his cousin's house at Fulwood, Royston Park, Pinner, where he had lived since at least 1905.[45] He appears not to have left a will.

Assessment

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Houfe states that Evison was a particularly good figure artist and that he used pen and ink with heavy body colour.[1]: 297 . Thorpe noted that his half-tone drawings in the English Illustrated Magazine were promising.[17]: 144  A profound challenge for greater recognition of Evison is that a good deal of book illustration, at least, was for ephemeral editions such as the Daily Mail sixpenny editions. Such cheap editions uses cheap paper and only the boldest of pen and ink art reproduced well. Evison's bold pen and ink drawings were well suited to this constraint. His magazine illustrations covered a much broader range, and were not just restricted to pen and ink work.

Notes

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  1. ^ Evison's father was buried on 16 October 1872.[4] His death was registered in the fourth quarter of 1872,[5] suggesting that he died in October
  2. ^ While Lillie's birth was only registered in the first quarter of 1870,[9] there are several hints that she was born in the last quarter of 1869, including her age at death.[10]
  3. ^ This was the first purpose built art school outside of London, having opened in 1883. After serving under various names as a school of art until 2008, it was purchased by the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts to expand their teaching space in 2012.[12]
  4. ^ The Poster spells his name Finne rather than Finnie. He was the headmaster of the Liverpool School of Art until his retirement in 1896.[14]: 176 
  5. ^ This was an illustrated weekly comic and social magazine the cost two pence. It had a circulation of 40,000[18]: 321  and ran from 1867 to 1907.[19]: 102 
  6. ^ This version of To-day was a weekly magazine that ran from 11 November 1893 to 19 July 1905, and was then incorporated with London Opinion.[19]: 155  It cost 2d. and had a circulation of 40,000.[18]: 342 
  7. ^ George Newnes published a wide range of publications including The Strand Magazine,[18]: 489  Tit-Bits[18]: 488  (with a circular of the order of half a million at the time), Country Life,[18]: 494  Under the Union Jack,[18]: 342  Wide World Magazine, The Captain (a boys' paper),[18]: 491  and the Traveller[18]: 494 
  8. ^ C. Arthur Pearson had a range of publications,[18]: 606  the most popular of which was Pearson's Magazine a monthly with a circulation of over 200,000[18]: 384 , but the circulation of publications such as Home Notes could be nearly as high.
  9. ^ The Jisc Library Hub Discover brings together the catalogues of 165 Major UK and Irish libraries.
  10. ^ Charles E. Pearch (1843–1924) was a prolific English author of juvenile fiction, crime fiction, biographies and journalism.[27]
  11. ^ With Cyrus Cuneo [28]: 1336 [29]
  12. ^ Available online at Project Gutenberg.[30][31][23]
  13. ^ With Cyrus Cuneo.[32] Available online at the Hathi Trust.[33]
  14. ^ With Cyrus Cuneo.[34] Available online at the Hathi Trust.[35]
  15. ^ With Cyrus Cuneo.[23]
  16. ^ With Cyrus Cuneo.[23]
  17. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. no. 108.[23]
  18. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. no. 116.[23]
  19. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. no. 149.[23]
  20. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. no. 136.[24]
  21. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel.[23]
  22. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. No. 141.[23]
  23. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. No. 148.[23]
  24. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. no. 166.[23]
  25. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel.[23]
  26. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. no. 161.[23]
  27. ^ Daily Mail Sixpenny Novel. no. 160.[23]
  28. ^ Available online at Project Gutenberg.[37][38]: 734 
  29. ^ The catalogue entry describes the author as Professor of Natural Philosophy in the Andersonian University Glasgow[24]
  30. ^ The Auckland Star commented that Evison's illustrations, though helping the story, would be more effective if they depicted more of what is characteristic in New Zealand scenery.[39][2]
  31. ^ The Sheldon Press was an imprint of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge until 2019.[40][2][24]
  32. ^ With Others[2]
  33. ^ The book centres on a boy from a difficult background whose heroic rescues from fire and water help to establish him in Public School. Kirkpatrick describes the book, as a throwback to the nineteenth century didactic school story, where the saving of a life is placed strongly in a religious and moral context.[42]

References

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  1. ^ a b Houfe, Simon (31 May 1905). Dictionary of British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists, 1800-1914. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 9780902028739. Retrieved 14 July 2020 – via The Internet Archive.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Williams, Paul Flo (8 July 1905). "Henry Evison". The Charles Pearce Project. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  3. ^ Liverpool Record Office (2 July 1905). "Reference Number: 283-PET-2-18: Baptisms solenmized in the Parish Church of St. Peter, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster in the year eighteen hundred and thirty-one". Liverpool, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1919. Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com. p. 135.
  4. ^ Liverpool Record Office (6 July 1905). "Reference: 352 CEM 6/2/1: Date of Interrment: 16 October 1872". Liverpool Cemetery Registers. Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com.
  5. ^ "Index entry". ONS. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Index entry". ONS. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  7. ^ Liverpool Record Office (3 July 1905). "Reference Number: 283-SIM/3/3: 1867 Marriages solenmized at The Church in the Parish Church of St. Simon, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster". Liverpool, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935. Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com. p. 52.
  8. ^ "Index entry". ONS. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Index entry". ONS. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  10. ^ Liverpool Record Office (6 July 1905). "Reference: 352 CEM 2/2/4: Date of Interrment: 29 December 1871". Liverpool Cemetery Registers. Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h "No. VIII". The Poster. IV (XXI): 60. 1 April 1900. hdl:2027/nc01.ark:/13960/t5w69sb4n. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The Hathi Trust (access may be limited outside the United States).
  12. ^ "The History of Our Buildings". The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  13. ^ "Liverpool School of Science and Technology". Liverpool Mercury (Saturday 29 September 1888): 6. 29 September 1888. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b Johnson, J.; Greutzner, A. (8 June 1905). The Dictionary of British Artists 1880-1940. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club.
  15. ^ Graves, Algernon (19 March 1905). "Evison, G Henry. Illustrator". The Royal Academy of Arts: A completed Dictionary of Contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904. Vol. VI: Edie to Harraden. London: George Bell and Sons. p. 73.
  16. ^ "Art Notes". Liverpool Mercury (Monday 15 October 1894): 4. 15 October 1894. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c Thorpe, James (18 April 1905). English Illustration: The Nineties. London: Faber and Faber.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Smiths Advertising Agency (16 March 1905). Successful Advertising. London: Smiths Advertising Agency. Retrieved 28 July 2020 – via The Internet Archive.
  19. ^ a b Muddiman, Joseph George; Austin, Roland (3 April 1905). Tercentenary handlist of English & Welsh newspapers, magazines & reviews. London. Retrieved 25 July 2020 – via The Internet Archive. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  20. ^ a b Fletcher, Alfred C. B. (1 April 1900). "From Job to Job Around the World. The Adventures of Two Wanderers". The Wide World Magazine. IV (XXI): 61. hdl:2027/chi.79286041. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The Hathi Trust (access may be limited outside the United States).
  21. ^ White, Fred M. (1917). "Blind Chance, illustrated by G. H. Evison". The Strand Magazine. 54 (321): 244–250. hdl:2027/mdp.39015056050050. Retrieved 9 August 2020 – via The Hathi Trust (access may be limited outside the United States).
  22. ^ "At the Freezing of the Pipes, cartoon by G. H Evison". The Bystander. 17 (215): 107. 15 January 1908. hdl:2027/nyp.33433081751723. Retrieved 9 August 2020 – via The Hathi Trust (access may be limited outside the United States).
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Search for keyword: ""G. H. Evison""". Jisc Library Hub Discover. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  24. ^ a b c d e f "Search for keyword: ""Henry Evison""". Jisc Library Hub Discover. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  25. ^ "Libraries on Discover: Contributing libraries list". Library Hub Discover. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  26. ^ "About Library Hub Discover". Library Hub Discover. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  27. ^ Williams, Paul Flo (7 July 1905). "The Charles Pearce Project". The Charles Pearce Project. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  28. ^ Shattock, Joan, ed. (21 June 1905). The Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature. Vol. 4: 1800-1900 (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-39100-8. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The Internet Archive.
  29. ^ "Yesterday's New Books". London Evening Standard (Wednesday 01 August 1894): 3. 1 August 1894. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  30. ^ Lisle, Eric (21 March 1905). Under Honour's Flag. London: Frederick Warne & Co. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  31. ^ "Books for Xmas and New Year". Manchester Courier (Friday 06 December 1907): 11. 6 December 1907. Retrieved 8 August 2020 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  32. ^ "Guild Court by George MadDonald". Abe Books. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  33. ^ Macdonald, George (1908). Guild Court, A London Story. London: Edwin Dalton. hdl:2027/uc1.31210010290201. Retrieved 9 August 2020 – via The Hathi Trust (access may be limited outside the United States).
  34. ^ "Stephen Archer". Abe Books. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  35. ^ Macdonald, George (1908). Stephen Archer and other tales. London: Edwin Dalton. hdl:2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t10p10p66. Retrieved 9 August 2020 – via The Hathi Trust (access may be limited outside the United States).
  36. ^ "For Boys and Girls". Sheffield Daily Telegraph (Thursday 07 December 1911): 11. 7 December 1911. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  37. ^ Strang, Herbert (31 March 1905). Carry On! A Story of the Fight for Bagdad. London: Humphrey Milford, OUP. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  38. ^ Kirkpatrick, Daniel L. (5 June 1905). Twentieth Century Children's Writers (2nd ed.). New York: St Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-82414-9. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The Internet Archive.
  39. ^ "Literary". Auckland Star (Saturday 12 November 1927): 24. 12 November 1927. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The National Library of New Zealand.
  40. ^ Cowdrey, Katherine (4 January 2019). "Hachette acquires SPCK's Sheldon Press". The Bookseller. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  41. ^ "Al Hunter's Bookland". Dundee Courier (Wednesday 21 December 1927): 10. 21 December 1927. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  42. ^ Kirkpatrick, Robert J. Auchmuty, Rosemary; Wotton, Joy (eds.). The Encyclopedia of Boys School Stories. Aldershot: Ashgate.
  43. ^ "Index entry". ONS. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  44. ^ London Metropolitan Archives (2 July 1905). "Reference: dro/108/020: Birials in the Parish of All Saints, Harrow Weald, in the county of Middlesex in the year 1928: No. 386: George Henry Evison". London, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, 1813-2003. Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com. p. 49.
  45. ^ "Puzzle Solutions". Evening Express and Evening Mail (Saturday 16 September 1905): 4. 16 September 1905. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via The National Library of Wales.
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