Record

LevelFile
Finding Number (Click this to view full catalogue structure)NCLAdd/155-160
TitleLetters from Neville Chamberlain and Mrs Chamberlain and their secretaries to G. Sidney Strube and to the editor of the Daily Express
Extent6 items
Date1933-1938
DescriptionPhotocopies of letters sent by and on behalf of Neville Chamberlain and Mrs Chamberlain, who were great admirers of Strube's work [1891-1956; political cartoonist], regarding the acquisition of his original cartoons which were published in the Daily Express.

/155 Letter, dated 12 December 1933, from Neville Chamberlain's secretary to the Editor of the 'Daily Express', requesting the original drawing of the cartoon entitled 'The Champion'.
/156 Letter, dated 18 December 1933, from Neville Chamberlain thanking Strube for the drawing. He writes: 'I think this is one of the best you have done, not only for the cleverness of the drawing, but for the wit which inspired the idea. I am very pleased to possess it'.
/157 Letter, dated 26 May 1937, from Chamberlain's Acting Private Secretary, L. J. Newman to Strube, requesting the original drawing of his cartoon entitled 'Which hand, Sir?'
/158 Letter, dated 29 May 1937, in which Newman replies on Neville Chamberlain's behalf, that he intends to hang the cartoon on Capital Punishment in his room; 'he greatly admires your work and thinks this is a particularly characteristic example of your wit as well as a clever drawing.'
/159 Letter, dated 16 September 1938, written on behalf of Mrs Chamberlain by Marjorie Leaf, Private Secretary, to Strube, requesting a copy of the cartoon which appeared in the 'Daily Express' on Thursday 15 September. She thought it was 'very imaginative and excellent'.
/160 Letter dated 21September 1938 in which Marjorie Leaf thanks Strube on Mrs Chamberlain's behalf for the copies and one original drawing.
Access ConditionsThese copies may be consulted for individual research only. Further copies may not be made without permission from the legal owner of the letters and the permission of the copyright holders
Access StatusOpen
Administrative HistoryStrube had first worked as a draughtsman for a furniture company before joining an advertising agency. He studied drawing at the John Hassall School of Art and began to draw cartoons. He sold his first work to the 'Conservative and Unionist Magazine' in 1909 and afterwards began producing a weekly cartoon for 'Throne and Country'. He began drawing for the 'Daily Express' in 1912 and stayed with the newspaper until he retired in 1948.
Reference: Spartacus Educational website: www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Jstrube.htm (accessed December 2002)
OriginalsThe originals are in the possession of the Political Cartoon Society

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