Arthur Moreland (12 October 1867–4 August 1951) was an artist of the early 20th-century remembered today for his humorous depictions of early British life. Moreland was born in

Ardwick Ardwick is an area of Manchester, England, southeast of the city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 19,250. Historically in Lancashire, by the mid-nineteenth century Ardwick had grown from being a village into a pleasant and wealt ...

, a village in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

in 1867, the eldest of six children born to Elizabeth and Edward Moreland, an Agent for Black Lead Makers. Initially, he was employed as a commercial traveller before moving to London where, in about 1892, he commenced work in the advertising department of the London evening newspaper '' The Star''. Entirely self-taught as an artist, his striking

caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

of the newspaper's executive

Ernest Parke Ernest Parke (26 February 1860–21 June 1944) was a political writer, editor, newspaper proprietor and local politician. In 1890, as the editor of ''The North London Press'', he was imprisoned for libel for his reporting of the Cleveland Stree ...

was seen by Parke who, instead of sacking Moreland appointed him to the art department. Later Moreland was the political cartoonist for the ''

Morning Leader ''The Morning Leader'' was a Sri Lankan English-language newspaper. It is published by Leader Publications (Pvt) Ltd. Its sister publications are The Sunday Leader ''The Sunday Leader'' was an English-language Sri Lankan weekly newspaper publis ...

'' and his artwork for that newspaper was reprinted as ''Humors of History'' (1898) and ''More Humours of History'' (1925). During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he drew ''The History of the Hun'' (1917). His ''The Comic History of Sport'' (1924) included reprinted drawings from the illustrated weekly periodical ''All Sports''. Moreland's cartoons were "noted for their pungent wit" and they are credited with having contributed to the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

landslide of 1906 and the party's subsequent revival.Arthur Moreland (1867-1951)
The Political Cartoon Gallery website His artwork was exhibited at the Coronation Exhibition in 1911. During World War I Moreland ceased drawing political cartoons and commenced a new career as a freelance artist for various newspapers and illustrated books for other authors. These included ''The Gentle Golfer'' by Dr. T. P. MacNamara (1905), ''The Difficulties of Dr. Deguerre'' by

Walter Hadwen Walter Robert Hadwen (3 August 1854 – 27 December 1932) was an English general practitioner, pharmaceutical chemist and writer. He was president of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) and an anti-vaccination campaigner ...

(1926), and ''Lays from Lancashire'' by Nelson Jackson (1930). Arthur Moreland Dickens 1912

Moreland wrote and illustrated two books on

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...

: ''Dickens in London'' (1928) and ''Dickens Landmarks in London'' (1931). In about 1930 a set of six postcards depicting his artwork of Dickens' characters was published by Samuels Limited.Arthur Moreland and his Homage to Dickens
Postcard History, 26 September 2022 A

Freemason Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

, Moreland was initiated into Gallery Lodge No 1928 in 1908. He was the Honorable Secretary of the

London Press Club The London Press Club was established in 1882 as a London gentlemen's club. For much of its history, it occupied premises in Wine Office Court, near Fleet Street Fleet Street is a street in Central London, England. It runs west to east fro ...

for over 20 years, was chairman for four years, and on his retirement was made an honorary life member. He was a member of the

Savage Club The Savage Club, founded in 1857, is a gentlemen's club in London, named after the poet, Richard Savage. The club's logo is of an indigenous North American in a feathered headdress. Members are drawn from the fields of art, drama, law, literat ...

and a life member of the Newspaper Press Fund. Moreland married Blanche Ada Rayson (1867-1958) in 1896. They had three children: Mary Hermione Moreland (1897-1989), Edward Rayson Moreland (1902-1958), and John Moreland (1908-1976). In 1911 the family were living in

Denmark Hill Denmark Hill is an area and road in Camberwell, in the London Borough of Southwark, London, England. It is a sub-section of the western flank of the Norwood Ridge, centred on the long, curved Ruskin Park slope of the ridge. The road is part of ...

in London. Moreland's occupation at that time was listed as 'Political Cartoonist'. In 1939 he and his wife were living with his sisters Beatrice and Mary Elizabeth Moreland in

Ulverston Ulverston is a market town and civil parish in Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, it lies a few miles south of the Lake District Lake District National Park, National Park and j ...

; at that time his occupation was listed as 'Artist (Retired)'. His brother Edgar and his wife lived next door. Arthur Moreland grave Pembury

In his later years Moreland lived at

Groombridge Groombridge is a village of about 1,600 people. It straddles the border between Kent and East Sussex, in England. The nearest large town is Royal Tunbridge Wells, about away by road. The main part of the village ("New Groombridge") lies in t ...

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

. On his death in 1951 aged 83 he left an estate valued at £200 4s 6d.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 for Arthur Moreland He and his wife are buried in the Pembury Burial Ground at

Pembury Pembury is a large village in Kent, in the south east of England, with a population of 6,128 at the 2011 census. It lies just to the north-east of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The village centre, including the village green and High Street area is a ...

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

References

External links

Gallery of Moreland's original artworksArtwork of Arthur Moreland
Google Arts and Culture {{DEFAULTSORT:Moreland, Arthur 1867 births 1951 deaths 19th-century English artists 20th-century English artists English cartoonists 20th-century British illustrators Artists from Manchester English illustrators People of the Victorian era People from Ardwick People from Groombridge Freemasons of the United Grand Lodge of England