'The Pauper's Hearse', c. 1860.

Social History (Museum of St Albans)

2008.5509

Pen and ink cartoon with watercolour, 357 x 227 mm. Not signed or dated but known to be by J H Buckingham (1800-81), whose cartoons mainly date from 1850-1865. A pauper's hearse drawn by one horse is watched by three onlookers at the far left. Hand-written captions by the artist read: Top: "I defy any caricaturist to outdo nature's comic freaks, she supplies drolleries in abundance. I for one cannot, what is more extravagantly comic than this sketch from Dame Nature's handy work: are these not more like monkeys than men?" Bottom: "The Pauper's Hearse Drawn by J-----'s finest Roadsters of the giraffe breed poor devil. Driven by a Droll specimen of human diminutive Propagation commonly called Punch with a Boon [?] companion unwash'd, uneducated & uncare'd for - working out their pitiable existence as best they may. Happier than Princes with all!"

PX9460buckingham.tif

CD 905

Amy Cooke

4) Verulamium Archive Room

PWD box 9

09/06/2008