Norman Thelwell -Artist - 18th Jul 2017 9:19am
Norman Thelwell, another of the Wirral famous, was born in Tranmere from a working class family.
He sold his first drawings - 15 sketches of chickens - at the age of 15, and, after leaving the local Rock Ferry high school a year later, got a job as a junior clerk in Liverpool.
His cartoons of Penelope and Kipper were famous worldwide but he did many others besides, and he had his first Exhibition in London between 6th January - 6th February 2004 at The Cartoon Art Trust, Bruswick, London WC1.
This same Exhibition was due to come to the Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead from 14th February - 18th April 2004.
Sadly, Norman Thelwell died at the age of 80yrs on the 7th February 2004, ironically the day after his first Exhibition in London closed.
Due to the sad circumstances, I don't know if his Exhibition was ever opened at the Williamson Art Gallery. I still have a poster advertising it and maybe someone might know if his work was ever exhibited here in Wirral.
I hope it was. His little pictures were brilliant.