| Maker | Edward Linley Sambourne was born on 4 January 1844, the only child of Edward Mott Sambourne, merchant, and his wife Frances Linley. Although he entered the marine engineering firm of Messrs John Penn & Co, Greenwich, as an apprentice draughtsman in May 1861 he retained his childhood interest in drawing and caricature. Early in 1867, the entertainer Thomas German-Reed, father of another John Penn & Co apprentice, showed several of Linley's sketches to Mark Lemon, then editor of the satirical magazine 'Punch'. This resulted in the publication of his first drawing on 27 April 1867. Shortly afterwards, Linley gave up his work at John Penn & Co. After several years as a freelance contributor he was finally offered a staff appointment in 1871, thus beginning an association with 'Punch' that was to continue for the rest of his life, culminating in his appointment as 'First Cartoon' in January 1901. The security of a full-time job, coupled from 1874 with an additional private income derived from family property (the Barr Estate), enabled Linley to marry Mary Ann (Marion) Herapath on 20 October 1874. The following year, with the help of a £1000 settlement from Marion's father, the couple bought 18 Stafford Terrace, Kensington, the house that was to remain their home for the rest of their lives.
In addition to his work for 'Punch', Linley Sambourne also developed a reputation as an illustrator: literary works included 'New Sandford and Merton' by F C Burnand (1872), 'Our Holiday in the Scottish Highlands' by Arthur a Beckett (1876) and 'The Water Babies' by Charles Kingsley (1886), while other work included numerous diplomas, certificates and magazine covers, notably the diploma card for the Fisheries Exhibition of 1883 and a cover design for 'The Sketch' magazine in 1893. In 1855 Sambourne exhibited at the Royal Academy for the first time, and continued to do so regularly for the rest of his life. Other exhibitions of his work were held at the Fine Art Society in 1893 and 1897 while in 1900 he served as a juror for the engraving and lithography class at the Paris Universal Exhibition. During the latter part of his career he developed an interest in photography and was an early member of the Camera Club (est. 1885). Linley Sambourne's last cartoon for 'Punch' appeared on 3 November 1909. He died at his home on 3 August 1910 after a protracted illness and, following cremation at Golders Green, was buried at St Peters-in-Thanet near Broadstairs, Kent. |