Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954), Wednesday 2 July 1952, page 3


DEATH OF CREATOR OF GINGER MEGGS

WORLD-WIDE FIGURE

JAMES BANCKS' MASTERPIECE

SYDNEY. July 1. - The creator of Australia's most famous comic

strip character, Ginger Meggs, James Charles Bancks, died to-

day at the age of 63. Bancks had been drawing Ginger Meggs for the past 31 years. Ginger appeared in newspapers in every Australian State and in Eng-land, France, Holland, Spain, America and South America.

In France Ginger became "Pierrot," and in South America "El Pibe Areliana." Ginger, his

father and mother, his girl friend

Min, and his enemies Eddie

Coogan and Tiger Kelly were known and loved throughout the world. He was Australia's Peter Pan, living for 31 years but growing no older.

Bancks started bis career as a combined clerk, office boy and liftdrfver and finished it with a salary exceeding that of many of Australia's leading business

executives.

BECAME ARTIST

Deciding that his job offered

little prospect of advancement, Bancks decided to become an

artist. The "Bulletin" began to buy his drawings at 15.' each. and eventually offered him a job at £8 a week. Blue, red or yellow were the only colours available far the boy's hair when

Bancks first drew his comic strip characters. He chose red

and named him Ginger. Ginger's monkey joined the strip 18 years ago. It was meant to stay only three weeks, but when Bancks removed it, so many outraged readers protested that he re- stored it immediately.

In the 31 years he drew Ginger he did not accept one plot or idea from anybody. Bancks suf-fered from coronary occlusionabout two years ago. but was apparently in good health when he went to bed last night. He died early this morning. He leaves a widow and an eight year old daughter. His funeral will take place to-morrow morn-

ing from St. Mark's Church of England, Darling Point.