Thomas Derrick (1885-1954), a forgotten artist, drew for Punch between 1932 and 1948, though most of his hundred-plus drawings there are from the ’30s.
This pair, published on November 6 1933 in the Punch Almanack for 1934, is a very early satirical comment on television. There are captions on both. The coruscating punchline is in the second.
Derrick had nothing to do with broadcasting professionally, but the year after the British Broadcasting Company became the British Broadcasting Corporation (by Royal Charter), he published black and white illustrations for Eleanor Farjeon’s book of 26 poems, The ABC of the BBC, William Collins, 1928.
Television timeline in a Comment below, and see copyright notice below this.
January 23 2009 at 11:07 pm
Television timeline:
1. Baird. The first television broadcast in Britain was made over a BBC radio transmitter in September 1929, using Baird Television’s electromechanical system. Baird Television was providing a limited amount of programming five days a week by 1930. When did it stop?
2. BBC/Baird. On August 22 1932, BBC launched its own regular service, using Baird’s system, which continued until September 11 1935. This is the period of these drawings.
3. BBC/Marconi. On November 2 1936 the BBC began the world’s first regular, though still limited, high-definition television service, which soon dropped an improved Baird system in favour of one from Marconi-EMI. At first, only a few hundred viewers close to the transmitter at Alexandra Palace received it, but by 1939 it was reaching 25-40,000 homes. The BBC suspended the service in 1939, two days before war was declared, and resumed it on June 7 1946.
January 25 2009 at 6:10 pm
The copyright in this drawing may rest with Punch Limited, which is owned by Mohamed Al Fayed. Display of image here is considered fair use for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis. To use further, please visit
http://www.punch.co.uk/contactus.html
July 21 2009 at 3:52 pm
The television receivers shown in the second cartoon appear to be based on the 30 line mirror drum sets of 1933 These were made by the Bush Company but few if any were sold since it was known that high definition systems were in prospect. The BBC had undertaken to continue thirty-line only until 31st March 1934, although the service continued until September 1935.
The first cartoon was uncannily predictive!
July 21 2009 at 4:24 pm
Predictive and stylish.