British designer and illustrator Phillip Boydell was the creator of the “Squander Bug” during World War Two, created to discourage wasteful spending, a character that became internationally famous.
Phillip Boydell (born 21st May 1896 in Tyldesley, Lancashire, died July 1984 in Wandsworth, London, aged 88) was the son of a master painter and decorator. He spent three years at Manchester School of Art before joining Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War One.
Serving on the tug boat HMS Blackcock, which had been requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1914, toward the end of the war the sailed from Vardø in northern Norway late on 17th January 1918 with stores and passengers destined for the Russian port of Murmansk.
As related on The Noble Boydells website, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Weir RNR, the HMS Blackcock unfortunately ran aground early the next morning. With water entering forward, two boats were hoisted out and all passengers and some crew were taken to the shore.
In bitterly cold weather, battling regular snow squalls, they walked the shoreline until they reached the Russian settlement of Tsip Navolok, where a rescue party was organised with dog sleds to get the rest of crew, some of them, including Charles Walter Williams, perhaps quite old for such active service. All survived, although some suffered frostbite. The ship itself was later thought to have been crushed by ice.
After the war and this lucky escape, Boydell attended the Royal College of Art, then worked as a part-time art master and freelance designer and illustrator, working for Rowntrees, among others.
He joined the London Press Exchange Group advertising agency in 1926, initially as Art Director, rising to become a Director, retiring in 1961.
His work included “The Squander Bug”, a memorable commission for the National Savings Committee, which produced publicity material to promote the purchase of national savings certificates and to discourage unnecessary spending during World War Two.
A humorous cartoon character Boydell thought up whilst ill with the ‘flu, the Squander Bug, also known as “Hitler’s Pal”, was depicted covered in swastikas. The campaign, intended as a positive alternative to endless government warnings on what not to do, associated wasteful spending with the Nazi enemy.
Boydell produced a series of six sketches depicting of an imp-like creature named the “Money Grub” that could “push, pull, scratch, bite and steal”.
Newspaper cartoonists, including David Low and Carl Giles, created their own take on the character.
“The Squander Bug”, appeared in press adverts and poster campaigns as a menace who encouraged shoppers to waste money rather than buy war savings certificates.
The campaign was extremely popular, and was adapted for use in other countries, including Australia and New Zealand. The American children’s author Dr Seuss also created his own version of the Squander Bug for use in war savings campaigns in the United States.
Boydell, also an accomplished painter, was art director of the “Black Widow” road safety campaign initiated under the Labour government, which aroused controversy for its relatively direct approach, a technique then little used. Facing questions in the House of Commons, the chilling poster created by William Little for the Ministry of Transport was withdrawn.
Boydell also designed the official typeface for the 1951 Festival of Britain, which was used in all the communications for the festival.
The Imperial War Museum and Trinity College, Oxford own examples of his work.
Head downthetubes for…
• The Imperial War Museum: Meet The Squander Bug
• The Noble Boydells: A Family History | Phillip Boydell – Artist and Art Director – Detailed Biography as part of a wider article
• Wikipedia: HMS Blackcock | Loss Records of the HMS Blackcock at the National Archives
• Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust: Royal Navy Loss List complete database (PDF)
• First World War Posters by Joseph and Belinda Loftus Darracott (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
• Second World War Posters by Joseph and Belinda Loftus Darracott (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
• A Tonic to the Nation: Festival of Britain, 1951 by Mary & Bevis Hillier (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
• Buy the “Festival” font from MyFonts
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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