W.St J. Glenn and Post War Teddy Tail and Teddy Tail Annuals
No dates are written on the Daily Mail’s Teddy Tail Annuals after the war but we
can establish that they were published again from Christmas 1948. The annuals
were on sale at Christmas and given as Christmas and New Year presents. The
British Library had copies date stamped to show when they were received at the
library.
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From an original drawing for the front of an annual
Christmas 1948
The Annual published by The Daily Mail and printed by Juvenile Productions Ltd
has a foreword that explains the excitement of the Annual’s reappearance after
the break caused by the war.
“We now have a whole grand book all to ourselves-and not only a whole
book, but an annual, which is a book that comes out each year….”
Teddy Tail is on stage; the background is orange, other characters are playing
instruments. There were 125 pages and an index at the back.
Christmas 1949.
Again printed by Juvenile Productions Ltd, as were all the Teddy Tail Annuals
until 1953. Date stamps indicate that this Annual
was not received at the British Library until 9th
November 1950, when it appeared along with the one for 1950. On
the front cover Teddy Tail is on top of a fountain, the background is
blue. There were 125 pages and an index at the back. The cover was signed by W.
St. John Glenn.
Christmas 1950.
On the front cover Teddy Tail is on a merry-go-round with a red and white
top. There are 125 pages and an index at the back.
W. St J Glenn signed the outside covers.
Christmas 1951
On the front cover Teddy Tail is on a yellow cloud of steam coming from a
steamroller. The British Library received a copy in December 1951. The annual
has 93 pages and no index.
W. St J. Glenn signed the outside covers.
Christmas 1952
On the front cover Teddy Tail is in a car with number plates T.T.1952.
This seems a clear indication that the Annual was produced for 1952.
Roland Davies signed the outside cover for the annual this year.
There are 93 pages and no index.
Christmas 1953
On the front cover Teddy Tail is dressed as a cowboy riding on a kangaroo.
The background is orange. There are 93 pages.
W. St J. Glenn signed the outside cover.
Christmas 1954
Described as the Daily Mail "New” Teddy Tail Annual this was printed by Morrison
and Gibb Ltd for the Publishers (Associated Newspapers).
On the front cover Teddy Tail is calling “Hello there!” The
British Library received a copy in 31/8/54. W. St J. Glenn signed the outside
cover.
Christmas 1955
On the front cover Teddy Tail is seated playing a trombone.
The background is yellow. It’s the smaller size of 1954,with the same colourful
writing on the cover and priced at 5/- (Five shillings.) The British Library
received a copy in 29/8/55.
W. St. J. Glenn signed the outside cover.
Reference:
1)“Dorothea”.
A large illustrated announcement of the new cartoon strip “Dorothea” by
Glenn appeared on page 8 of The Daily Mail on Monday, August 31, 1936. The strip
ran until the outbreak of World War Two in 1939.
2) See The Daily Mail Annual for Boys and Girls/ Christmas 1946, edited by Susan
French.(To identify it, there is a calendar for 1947 on page 13) Susan French
has written an article in the book about the Daily Mail’s cartoonists,
“They scribbled on their copybooks”. The article is detailed and gives a
photo of each artist and a history of their work.
There is a separate entry for A. Potts and W. St J. Glenn.
3) See the book entitled “ The Nostalgia Collection Teddy Tail. Introduction by
Mary Cadogan.” It was published by Hawk Books Ltd. It states “Teddy bounced back
into the Mail
in 1946, and was then drawn until the end of his run in the paper and annuals by
Arthur Potts and W. St J. Glenn.”
4) Picture Post Feb 15th
1947, Hulton’s National Weekly.
Illustrated Article entitled “Cartoonists
Pub.” Describes how Fleet Street cartoonists meet in a pub “to refresh their
skill by drawing from life and criticising one another’s work.” It has a photo
of William St. John Glenn drawing. “A Strip Editor
Also Draws.
William St. John Glenn is strip-editor of the “Daily Mail”.
His job is to commission and advise his paper’s artists.”
5)Copies of all the Teddy Tail Annuals mentioned (with the exception of 1953)
can be found in the British Library with date stamps indicating the month and
year the library received them.
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The Teddy Tail Annuals continued further and the history follows below.