Lancelot Speed (13 June 1860 – 31 December 1931) was a coastal painter and a British illustrator of books in the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

, usually of a fantastical or romantic nature. He is probably most well known for his illustrations for

Andrew Lang Andrew Lang (31 March 1844 – 20 July 1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a folkloristics, collector of folklore, folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectur ...

's fairy story books. Speed is credited as the designer of the 1916

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

version of the novel '' She: A History of Adventure'' by

H. Rider Haggard Sir Henry Rider Haggard (; 22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925) was an English writer of adventure fiction romances set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the lost world literary genre. He was also involved in land reform t ...

, which he illustrated.

Early life

Speed was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

on 13 June 1860, the youngest son of William Speed, a

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

of the

Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to Call to the bar, call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple (with whi ...

. He attended

Rugby School Rugby School is a Public school (United Kingdom), private boarding school for pupils aged 13–18, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independ ...

. He was admitted to and matriculated from there in Easter 1881. He was admitted to

Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the Unive ...

, on 27 January 1881, matriculated that Easter, and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1885. Elaine-Speed

Illustration

Speed had no formal art training, but became an illustrator working primarily in black and white. Process engraving particularly suited his fine lines, and he was one of the earlier illustrators to benefit from the new technology. He lived and worked at

Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the nor ...

, England in the latter part of his life.

Films

He was also the director of several early British silent films. * Britain's Efforts * The Wonderful Adventures of Pip, Squeak and Wilfred series ** ''The Wonderful Adventures of Pip, Squeak And Wilfred'' ** ''Pip And Wilfred Detectives'' ** ''Wilfred's Wonderful Adventures'' ** ''Over The Edge of the World'' ** ''Popski's Early Life'' ** ''The Castaways'' ** ''The Six-Armed Image'' ** ''Trouble in the Nursery'' ** ''Ups And Downs'' ** ''Wilfred's Nightmare'' Lancelot through with Guinevere by Lancelot Speed

Lancelot through with Guinevere by Lancelot Speed

Lancelot Speed's cartoon work is the source of the nickname for the colourful commander of the World War II Special Forces unit "

Popski's Private Army Popski's Private Army, officially No. 1 Demolition Squadron, PPA, was a unit of British Special Forces set up in Cairo in October 1942 by Major Vladimir Peniakoff who was a Belgian Jewish officer of Russian extraction. Popski's Private Army was on ...

". Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Peniakoff, DSO MC, a Belgian of White Russian descent, was called "Popski" by Bill Kennedy Shaw, the Intelligence Officer of the

Long Range Desert Group The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. Originally called the Long Range Patrol (LRP), the unit was founded in Egypt in June 1940 by Major Ralph Alger Bagnold, ...

because his signallers had trouble with the spelling of his surname. Peniakoff earned early notoriety (and his MC) with his behind-the-lines raids to blow up German petrol dumps, transported there and back, in some exasperation, by the LRDG. In the ''

Pip, Squeak and Wilfred ''Pip, Squeak and Wilfred'' was a British strip cartoon published in the ''Daily Mirror'' from 1919 to 1956 (with a break c. 1940–1950), as well as the '' Sunday Pictorial'' in the early years. It was conceived by Bertram Lamb, who took the ro ...

'' adventures before the start of World War II, there were two hairy characters: one was a scheming, plotting, bomb-throwing Bolshevik, and the other was his dog. The mad Russian was called " Professor Wtzkoffski" and the dog was called "Popski". These cartoon characters in the ''

Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...

'' were well known to all the soldiers, and in his best-selling book about his small irregular unit, "Popski" said, "...I was delighted with my nickname...".

Death

Speed died at

Deal, Kent Deal is a coastal town in Kent, England, which lies where the North Sea and the English Channel meet, north-east of Dover, England, Dover and south of Ramsgate. It is a former fishing, mining and garrison town whose history is closely linked t ...

on 31 December 1931Houfe incorrectly gives the date of his death as 21 December 1931. and was buried at

Knowlton, Kent Knowlton was an eccesiastical and civil parish; the former was abolished in 194 the latter on 1 April 193 and the village is now part of Goodnestone, Dover, Goodnestone civil parish, in the Dover district, in Kent, England. It is located about ...

, England. His estate was valued at just over £265.

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Speed, Lancelot 1860 births 1931 deaths British children's book illustrators British film directors British illustrators Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge Illustrators of fairy tales British fantasy artists People educated at Rugby School