Paine was renowned for his cartoons though he was never, so far as is known, a professional cartoonist.   This cartoon in celebration of the New Year could be a scene from The Wind in the Willows.  It was drawn for John Platt during the 1930s.

‘Should auld acquaintance be forgot . . .’    Blackheath 1930s

(Reproduced by kind permission of the estate of John Platt)

Jocelyn Morton observed that Paine’s ‘whimsical personality’ was as striking as ‘the imaginative quality of his work’.   (Jocelyn Morton Three Generations of a Family Textile Firm: Routledge & Kegan Paul 1971)    He reproduced this letter from Paine to his father, James Morton.

Mrs Hards, Paine’s neighbour at Welwyn, told how these little comments on his neighbours and fellow citizens would appear on her doormat at regular intervals.   She recalled how one of Paine’s ‘caricatures of a Mrs. Stock with “rather protruding teeth” was left accidentally on the seat at a concert she had organised.’   (Charles Paine 1895 -1967 Article by Ambrose Hogan and Sue Kirby, Welwyn Hatfield Museum Service 1992)

Charles Paine and Joan Bolshaw were married at Holy Trinity Church, Horwich, Lancashire, on 18 October 1962.   Paine was 67 and Joan was 48.   They honeymooned for two weeks in London and Tunbridge Wells before returning to Gorey Pier.   Paine commented on events in a series of cartoons.

Don’t forget the ring.

The honeymoon

Married bliss

Joan’s sister, Greta, lived at Horwich in Lancashire and Paine got on very well with her Scottish husband, Mac (Bertie McPherson), a retired railway engineer.   Mac was short and stout, humorous and fond of a dram and Charles was tall and lean and by no means a teetotaler.   Rivington Pike is a summit of Winter Hill and is clearly visible from Horwich.   They would be sent out every day for a walk with the dogs, Joe, a golden retriever, and Mungo, a black labrador.     This birthday card commemorates these events.

Paine as a Scotsman

Paine as a rattlesnake

This was probably drawn one evening at The Moorings Hotel, Gorey, during the early 1960s.

All I know about this baby cartoon is that it makes me smile.