David Gwilym John (1884–1958?), sometimes known as D. Gwilym John or D. G. John, was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

cartoonist, best known as the creator of the cartoon character Dai Lossin.

Life

John was born to Catherine and William John at Pancross in the

Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( ), locally referred to as ''The Vale'', is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South East Wales, south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf t ...

, Wales in the early months of 1884. He was the cartoonist for the ''Football Echo'', a

Saturday sports paper In the UK, a Saturday sports paper was a local newspaper published on a Saturday evening containing information about sports matches played on that day. Throughout most of the twentieth century they were very popular, representing one of the few ...

and was noted for the character he created, Dai Lossin. The character of Dai Lossin became "something of a folk-hero" and his name became commonly used as a way to refer to any "likeable rogue" character. British political cartoonist

Leslie Gilbert Illingworth Leslie Gilbert Illingworth (2 September 1902 – 20 December 1979) was a Welsh political cartoonist best known for his work for the ''Daily Mail'' and for becoming the chief cartoonist at the British satirical periodical '' Punch''. Early hist ...

called John "a comic genius" and said his cartoon character, Dai Lossin "epitomised the deadpan ironical understatement of Vale wit".''David Gwilym John: Comic Genius Behind ʻDai Lossinʼ''
Llancarfan Society Newsletter, No. 164 (December 2015). Retrieved 26 September 2016 D. G. John, as he was known to friends, was the father of

Godfrey John Godfrey John, C.S.B., was a poet, writer, lecturer, and teacher. Biography Godfrey John was born and grew up in Wales. He served in the Royal Air Force, and graduated from Cambridge University,

. There is a plaque on the house in

Rhoose Rhoose ( ; , from ) is a village and community near the sea (the Bristol Channel) in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, near Barry. The wider community includes villages and settlements such as Font-y-Gary, Penmark, East Aberthaw and Porthkerr ...

, where he lived and worked for a number of years.''Looking Back:1986''
Wales Online (2 August 2011). Retrieved 26 September 2016

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:John, David Gwilym 1884 births 1958 deaths Welsh comics artists Welsh editorial cartoonists British editorial cartoonists British comics artists Welsh caricaturists