Postcard Mania

McGill, Donald

Written by admin on 23 August, 2009 – 9:55 am -

Donald Fraser Gould McGill, (January 28, 1875 - October 13, 1962) was a graphic artist who became synonymous with a whole genre of ‘saucy’ postcards, which were sold mostly in small stores in British coastal towns.

His designs comprised mainly of attractive young women; larger, older women; drunken old men; couples and priests. He was called ‘The king of the saucy postcard’, and nowadays his work is collected and appreciated for its artistic competence, its power of social observation and earthy humour.

He lost a foot in a rugby accident at school and having studied at Blackheath Proprietry School, spent the major part of his life at 5 Bennett Park, Blackheath, SE3.

Accidental Career

He was a naval draughtsman until his career in postcards began, almost by accident, when in 1904 an in-law encouraged him to draw after having seen a card McGill had made for a sick nephew. Within a year it was his full-time trade.

Even at the height of his fame McGill only commanded three Guineas per design, but today originals can fetch thousands of pounds. His distinctive designs are awash with bright, bold colours and he arranged his output according to their vulgarity soft, average and strong, with strong being much the best-sellers!

He married the daughter of the owner of Crowder’s Music Hall in Greenwich and they had two girls, who maybe didn’t appreciate their father’s occupation! He said of them that, ‘They ran like stags whenever they passed a comic postcard shop’.

During the First World War McGill turned his attentions to producing anti-German propaganda, obviously in the form of postcards! In 1941 George Orwell wrote an essay entitled, ‘The Art of Donald McGill’, but had to confess that he was not sure if McGill was really a person or simply a trademark.

MacMillan Purge

McGill suffered censure during the MacMillan ‘purge’ on smut and innuendo and lost an important test case held in Lincoln on 15 July, 1954. His work was deemed to contravene the Victorian Obscene Publications Act (1857). McGill was fined £50 and ordered to pay £25 costs.

One of the postcard prosecutions involved McGill's 'Hard Rock' saucy design. This depicted a fully dressed male cartoon character holding a giant stick of rock between his legs, pointing up towards the sky, with a few non-revealing bathing suited characters in the background, and the words at the top of the postcard were 'A Stick of Rock, Cock?'

The broader result was a devastating blow to the saucy postcard industry. Many postcards were destroyed and retailers cancelled orders. Surviving as they did on very small margins, several of the smaller companies were made bankrupt.

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