Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Birk 'n' Head cartoon characters

I’ve been looking online at the superb Old Higsonians beermats from the late Sixties-early Seventies.

The older drinkers among us may remember they were issued by Higson’s Brewery and featured many wittily-named Merseyside characters as Famous Old Higsonians.

These included the teddy boy Rock Ferry, the musician Phil O’Monic, the Frenchman Pierre Head and the Liverpool supporter Ann Field.

There were also a couple of scruffs called Birk ’n’ Head (see picture).

But I seem to remember similar cartoon characters, called Berk ’n’ Ed, or Burke ’n’ Ed (or other variations) being featured elsewhere much earlier.

I vaguely recall a cartoon strip called Birk ’n’ Ed in the Birkenhead News, or possibly the Liverpool Echo. And I am sure two characters with a similar name were featured in one of the old comics – possibly Film Fun, or a later comic called Buster.

As usual, old age may be playing tricks with my memory. But if anyone remembers these earlier incarnations, I’d be interested to hear.

The Lazy Landlord micropub in Mill Lane, Wallasey, has the whole collection of Higson's character beermats, mounted and framed, hanging on the wall.

It was quite a blast from the past when I first saw it.

Nip in and have a pint, it's a nice place where you can get a very decent pint from a microbrewery and relax. They deserve some support.

It seems that the advertising campaign ran from 1978 -
I found the following list on the following site -
https://liverpoolhistorysocietyquestions.wordpress.com/category/higsons-beer-mats/

"The number of characters in the collection of the Old Higsonians Family Album beer mats is 26.

1. Pierre Head
2. Albert Dock
3. Penny Lane
4. Doc Road.
5. Rock Ferry
6. Lord Street
7. Gwladys Street
8. Ann Field
9. Victoria Monument
10.Stanley Park
11.Phil O`Monic
12.Clayton Square
13.Otto Spool
14.Kirk Dale
15.Count Erode
16.Birk N Head
17.Belle Vale
18.Olive Mount
19.Norris Green
20.Liz Card
21.Mag Hull
22.Wes Derby
23.Wallace E Tunnel
24.The Great Crosby
25.Mossley Hill
26.M.62"

Plus a few they missed -
Lee Park, son of Stanley
Al Irton,
and -
Higsterminate featuring a Dalek..

n.b. I think you were right about a cartoon strip..

on ebay