Ian Dickson

Ian Dickson

Ian Oscar Dickson was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 15 January 1905 and emigrated with his family to Melbourne, Australia, in 1913. Dickson, a self-taught artist, had work published in the Adelaide Register News Pictorial, the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, the Brisbane Telegraph and illustrated tourist brochures for the Queensland government.

 The Rockhampton Morning Bulletin 24 June 1932

Dickson eventually emigrated to England and found work with film companies and Razzle magazine. In the early thirties Dickson spent several months in Ceylon and after a period back in Australia he relocated there to work for the Times of Ceylon and Ceylon Observer. In 1935 Dickson returned to England where he produced work for Punch, London Opinion, Men Only and Blighty. Dickson was a prolific contributor to these men's digests with some issues featuring three or four pages of his work. During the War Dickson served with the Royal Air Force.

 

Original art possibly from Razzle circa 1950's via Illustration Art Gallery

Dickson was a member of the British Cartoonists Club founded in 1960 and appeared in the 1962 Cartoonists album alongside compatriots David Low and Keith Waite. Over this period the ever prolific Dickson was contributing cartoons to the Daily Mirror and Daily Sketch as well as producing  'Mum' weekly at the Sunday Graphic for fifteen years.

In the fifties and sixties Dickson contributed three or four panel gag strips for Eagle, Girl and Swift Annuals from Hulton Press. Dickson died 21st July 1987.

Girl Annual Nine 1961

Girl Annual Nine 1961

 Girl Annual Nine 1961

 Girl Annual Nine 1961

 

Samples of Ian Dickson's work for Men Only

Men Only July 1950

Men Only July 1950

Men Only May 1950

Men Only May 1950

Men Only May 1950

Men Only September 1949

Men Only March 1954

Men Only March 1954

 Men Only March 1954

 Men Only November 1951

Men Only September 1949 

Sources: http://illustrationartgallery.blogspot.com, Men Only 1946-1954, British Cartoonist's Album, Dictionary of British Cartoonists and Caricaturists 1730-1980 compiled by Mark Bryant and Simon Heneage, http://bearalley.blogspot.com.