The British Cartoon Archive

The First World War cartoons of W.K. Haselden

Created by NHiley on September 11, 2009, 11:10 am. Report this group | FAQ

During the First World war the Daily Mirror was the largest-selling morning paper in Britain, and one of its most popular features were the daily cartoons of William Kerridge Haselden. Haselden was a self-taught cartoonist, who joined the Daily Mirror in December 1903, soon after its launch, at the age of thirty. At first he drew traditional single-frame political cartoons, but after the Daily Mirror dropped its price and went for a mass circulation he changed his style, opting instead for light social comment and a multi-frame style. This proved enormously popular, and from 1907 onwards the annual volumes of his cartoons had a large sale.

During the First World War W.K. Haselden drew thousands of daily cartoons, charting the progress of a country at war. He did produce some political cartoons, and his caricatures of the German Kaiser and Crown Prince as "Big Willie" and "Little Willie" became very famous. However, he was best at drawing what he called the "little passing topics of the day", and his depictions of daily civilian life in wartime now hold more interest than his set-piece political cartoons.

Quick view of records

All records in the current group without supporting annotations.

Showing records 1 to 12 of 32.

The depressing influence of the news of the day. [caption on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 29 Jul 1914 View annotation	The holiday makers dream this august. [caption on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 03 Aug 1914 View annotation	"Why don't you enlist" [caption on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 30 Aug 1914 View annotation	German culture in War. [caption on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 16 Sep 1914 View annotation
Sad Experience of Big and Little Willie No. 1. [caption on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 02 Oct 1914 View annotation	What the Willies hoped would happen. [caption on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 19 Oct 1914 View annotation	What Big and Little Willie showed the Boers. [caption on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 14 Dec 1914 View annotation	Football and racing enthusiasts in war time. [caption on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 05 Mar 1915 View annotation
Some Trades in Which Women are replacing Men. [on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 12 Mar 1915 View annotation	At Home and Abroad. A Contrast [on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 31 Mar 1915 View annotation	Big and Little Willies Dream of London [on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 13 Apr 1915 View annotation	The tiger in our midst [on reverse] W.K. Haselden Daily Mirror 15 May 1915 View annotation