Peter Varnon

Described by Advertiser’s Weekly as ‘youthful’, ‘bespectacled’, with a ‘scholarly stoop’, Varnon had joined the Merchants Navy Comforts Service (MNCS) in late 1942. Varnon moved from his own business, Peter Varnon and Associated Artists in Norfolk Street, where he had done work for the MOI until he felt compelled to take a permanent job with the MNCS. Working under T. Kirkland Bridge, Varnon’s posters aimed to avoid the ‘charity appeal’. Varnon produced the majority of the Merchant Navy Comforts Service (MNCS) posters.

Information collated from: Anonymous, ‘Why M.N. Comforts Service Posters Have Proved a Success’, Advertiser’s Weekly, Vol. 122, No. 1,586, October 14 1943, p.35; Anonymous, ‘Artists Make the Wheels Go Round’, Advertiser’s Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 1,615, May 4 1944, p.203

Charles Uptton

Uptton appeared to specialise in religious imagery, including 121 images for the 1960s Egermeier’s Bible Story Book were ‘especially commissioned from the internationally known artist Clive Uptton’, and illustrations for various books authored by Hilda Rostron, including ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, for Ladybird.

Information collated from: Exodus Provisions, ‘Exodus Provisions – Item Details’, http://www.exodusbooks.com/details.asp?ExID=4565, accessed October 3 2003; 12testing.co.uk, ‘Listing of Ladybird Books – Series 612 – Prayers’, http://www.12testing.co.uk/~easy/ladybird/60s/612/612.htm, accessed October 3 2003