Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 4.djvu/347

 ii s. iv. OCT. 28, mi.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

341

LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1911.

CONTENTS.-No. 96.

NOTES: A. S. Henning, the First 'Punch' Artist, 341- Capt. Morris's ' Solid Men of Boston,' 342 Cromwelliana, 343 Descendants of Bradshaw the Regicide Daniel's Whole Workes,' 1623. 344 Beaumont and Fletcher : ' Monsieur Thomas ' Kelmscott Press Type Christopher Bassnett, 345 Submarine Boats in 1828 'N.E.D.' : " Simple " to " Sleep " " Happen " Spettigue, Carpenter, and Rowe Families W. Woollett, Draughtsman, 346.

QUERIES : Sir Francis Drake and the Middle Temple Du Bellay Rev. S. Greatheed Miss Howard and Napoleon III. Mary Jones's Execution, 347 Bristol Cathedral Clock Capt Kynoch at Quatre Bras Burial Inscriptions Dr. Arnold and ' Humphry Clinker ' "FS."=3*. 2<f. 'Comus' at Covent Garden ' Standard Psalmist,' 348 Bp. Chirbury Rhoscrowther Norris Surname C. F. Lawler Edward Long MS. Lions modelled by Alfred Stevens Felix Smith and Louis XVIII., 349.

REPLIES : Napoleon's Imperial Guard, 350 Nelson: "Musle" "Swale," its Meanings, 351 American National Flower Errors in 'Pickwick,' 352 Hicks Family Gyp's 'Petit Bob' Spanish Motto, 353 Military Executions Learned Horses" Old Clem," 354 Essay on the Theatre Ceylon Officials, 355 Mr. Stock, Bibliophile Authors Wanted " I am paid regular wages," 356 Jonathan Wild's " Ghost" Purvis Sur- name, 357 "Walm" as a Street-Name Omar Khayyam ' Dives and Pauper,' 358.

NOTES ON BOOKS : ' Specimens of Bushman Folk-lore.' Booksellers' Catalogues. Notices to Correspondents.

A. S. HENNING, THE FIRST 'PUNCH' ARTIST.

WHILE we are yet, as it were, still celebrating the seventieth birthday of dear old Punch, I should like to jot down a few alas ! very few stray notes about the artist who, of all his contemporaries, was the one who made Punch a reality saved it from ap-

E earing in the guise of a vulgar broadside, ke, say, Punch in London (1832), or any other of the wretched ephemeral comic papers of pre-Punch days. The earliest was said to have been first decided by Mrs. Ebenezer Landells) was from the pencil of A. S. Henning, who, in spite of his awkward ill-drawn figures, and a general lack of both force and finish in his work, had acquired a name not very far inferior to that of Crow- quill. Among Mr. Punch's pioneer artists, we are all familiar with such names as Phiz, Kenny Meadows, H. G. Hine and Oowquill ; but few have ever so much as
 * ' big cut " (the necessity for a " big cut "

heard of the men who did the real spade- work Henning, Newman, Brine, John Phillips, T. H. Jones, J. V. Barrett, &c.

Archibald Skirving Henning was born, I believe, in 1805 ; the family Bible says : " born at Edinburgh on the 18th of Feb- ruary at 30 minutes past 3 a.m." His father, John Henning, son of a Paisley carpenter, developing a talent for modelling and carving, speedily attained a high reputation, first in Glasgow and Edinburgh, whence he removed to London in 1811. Here, besides receiving the appointment of Teacher of Modelling to the Princess Charlotte, he exhibited, at the Royal Academy and other galleries, 44 works (1812-35). He died 1851 (see 'Diet. Nat. Biog.'). The eldest son, John Henning, jun., following in his father's footsteps as a successful sculptor, exhibited in London 62 works (1816-52).

Archibald S. Henning, lacking the calm, precise mind of his father and brother, early forsook sculpture for figure-painting water-colour, I think ; perhaps, however, in both mediums exhibiting (1825-34) 23 pictures at the Royal Academy, British Institution, and Suffolk Street. But he soon found his true vocation as a wood- draughtsman probably in this influenced by his brother-in-law Kenny Meadows. His figure subjects were (to express it mildly) rather too " Frenchy," but they were well received. Prints of roues and demi-mon- daines were then, as indeed at all times, much appreciated by the " smart set," though the prices paid for the sketches would not, perhaps, have tempted really talented artists to pander to such a taste. Henning was just in time to pose as leading artist on The Town, a "rag" to which Leech also sometimes contributed.

When Punch was projected, ways and methods being talked over, Henning was selected for principal artist. Phiz and Crowquill were approached ; but they rather hung back, perhaps doubtful of being sufficiently remunerated. So Henning (helped by Newman) stepped into the hon- ourable position of chief artistic contributor to the new venture. For some months he held first place, but as time went on recruits were enlisted ; Henning' s mannerisms grew tiresome, and with the change of proprietor- ship, or shortly after, he left in the summer of 1842.

Henning soon found work (for which, however, he was not always sure of pay- ment) on the various comic and other illustrated papers of the day Joe Miller the Younger (a speculation of Ingram & Cooke),