The British Cartoon Archive

Many of Webster’s cartoons about heavy-weight boxers identify the growing trend for larger prize purses, and look nostalgically back to the nineteenth century when fights would last much longer for less money. His predictions look very apt today.

Webster drew a series of cartoons about the much anticipated fight between British heavyweight champion Joe Beckett, and European heavyweight champion Georges Carpentier. The winner would have the right to fight the world heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey. Beckett had become British champion by winning four fights that year, and was heavily backed by the British public, but Webster drew him as a huge intimidating brute. Carpentier by contrast had only fought twice since the war, but had won both and claimed the European title. He had a reputation as a gentleman and an intelligent and graceful fighter, and on 4 December 1919 knocked out Beckett in 74 seconds.

Beckett became one of Webster’s long-running characters. After his first encounter with Carpentier, Webster always portrayed him as a clown who suffered from nerves during the big fights. Beckett tried to re-establish his reputation and standing, and won seven of his next eight fights, entitling him to a rematch with Carpentier. On 1 October 1923 Beckett lost again, this time in twenty seconds. It was his last fight, although he continued to appear in Webster’s cartoons. 

Tom Webster, Daily Mail, 1919

To compensate for England’s defeats at golf, polo and cricket, Webster reminds his readers of other “victories” in the sporting year. Webster depicted over forty different sports in his cartoons, from knur and spell to the linnet singing contest.

Tishy the racehorse was one of Webster’s most popular characters. A favourite in the 1921 Cesarewitch Handicap, Tishy in fact finished last after allegedly crossing her legs during the race. The image of Tishy’s crossed legs often appeared in Webster’s cartoons, and the image entered popular culture. The footballer Bill Henderson was nicknamed “Tishy” because of his dazzling footwork. Webster even made underachieving favourites a theme of his horseracing cartoons, imagining an “Also-Ran” group that ejected members who actually won a race. This particular cartoon refers to film of Webster’s Tishy cartoons being shown at the London Hippodrome in aid of the Variety Artists’ Benevolent Fund. 

Webster occasionally used the image of John Bull to represent English sport, especially tennis during the decline of English success at Wimbledon in the 1920’s. The Entente Cordiale, to which the Frenchman in this cartoon appeals, was an agreement signed in 1904 signifying an end to conflict between France and Britain.

This cartoon features the billiards player Melbourne Inman, who was one of Webster’s favourite subjects. Inman dominated billiards in the early twentieth century, before giving way to younger competition like Willie Smith and Tom Newman. His slow approach, expressionless demeanour, and large nose were ideal for caricature. Webster even named his dog Inman, and Inman returned the favour by naming one of his racehorses’ Tom Webster.

This cartoon documents a much publicised race between the Epsom Derby winner Papyrus and the American Kentucky Derby winner Zev. With much national pride at stake the American won by five lengths, the amount of mud on the track being blamed for Papyrus’ defeat.

The start of the 1923 football season.

The fight between Jack Dempsey and Louis Firpo in New York on 14 September 1923 is still regarded as one of the best heavyweight fights of all time. In the opening round Firpo was knocked down seven times by Dempsey, the world heavyweight champion, but still managed to smash him through the ropes and into the pressmen. Dempsey won the fight in the second round, but afterwards he didn’t fight for three years. The Firpo and Dempsey fight was filmed, and Webster joked in a later cartoon that watching footage of Demspey persuaded many young Englishmen not to take up boxing.

This cartoon was drawn while Dempsey was at the height of his fame, following his victory over Firpo. Dempsey never fought professionally outside the United States, but he did tour as world heavyweight champion. He and Webster became good friends, and Webster asked him to be godfather to his son Tom Jnr. There weren’t any credible British challengers to the heavyweight championship, and Webster often portrayed British contenders as knocked out flat on the canvas, before picking up a large amount of money