Description

Extended Data

Birth Place

Cornwall, England, UK

Biography

painter, illustrator and cartoonist, was born and raised in Cornwall, fourth of the five children of Thomas Briggs Ashton (1808-1866), an amateur painter, wood engraver and dealer in artists’ supplies from Philadelphia, and his wife Henrietta, daughter of Count Rossi. His eldest brother was the painter Julian Ashton (1851-1942). After studying at South Kensington School of Art, George joined the staff of the London Graphic at its inception and worked for it as an illustrator for seven years. Sent to South Africa in 1877 to draw the Kaffir War (1877-78) for the Illustrated London News , he joined the Cape Mounted Police and fought in the last Frontier War in 1878 and in the Zulu War under General Buller in 1879. G.R. Ashton came to Melbourne in 1879, encouraged by Julian, who had arrived six months earlier. They both worked on the Illustrated Australian News and together covered the capture of Ned Kelly at Glenrowan. George found that 'there was plenty of work to be done. There was no trouble making from £20 to £30 a week, but it soon went, as everyone spent freely in the boom period’ (Moore ii, p.113). Both brothers moved to the rival Australasian Sketcher , and George also drew for Bohemia and the Illustrated Sydney News . Ashton married Blanche Brooke in Melbourne, daughter of the actor and theatrical entrepreneur George Coppin. In 1888 he succeeded Phil May as staff artist on the Bulletin , engaged by J.F. Archibald. From Melbourne, he drew the leading double‑column weekly political cartoons until 1893, often on foreign events. Rolfe states (p.50): 'Archibald taking over as editor in April 1886 coincided with a major loosening up of the look of the paper with much greater space given to black and white, full‑page, even double‑spread, drawings. The paper settled into a pattern of an opening‑page cartoon, Hop 's Sydney cartoonlets facing the Melbourne page by George Rossi Ashton or Tom Durkin [Ashton’s successor] after the leader pages, [and] an increasing variety of joke blocks. George Rossi Ashton’s added capacity was the serious propaganda drawing. One of his most noted, 'Labour and Justice’, published October 11, 1890, at the time of the great maritime and shearers’ strikes [i.e. The Affiliation of Justice and Labour 11 October 1890, 12], is in striking contrast with the King Worker cartoons of the same period by Carrington in Melbourne Punch, which showed the worker as a depraved creature.’ His political cartoons include: 'The Situation in Queensland’ (police protecting scab labour) 1891 (ill. Coleman & Tanner, p.102 – also p.101); 'The New Social Function’ (re judges’ pleasure in hanging) 1891 (Rolfe, 160), signed with his monogram/cipher. 'The Depression’ 1893 (ill. Rolfe, 63) is an unusual commentary on prostitution, 'Jehu moralises: “Bein’ a purty woman 'pears the on’y purfession that there’s any money in these times.”’ Others include traditional bush (Rolfe, p.91), anti-semitic (ill. Rolfe, 67) and anti-Chinese gags, e.g. 'A Rotten Apple’ of 1890 (ill. Rolfe, 66), 'Small boy (to basket‑laden Chinese-Australian): “'Ullo‑‑yellow chow!”/ John: “You spotted lallikin. You altogether spotted. You call me yellow! I allee one color; you fleckle, fleckle, allee same lotten apple.”’ Joke blocks formed the bulk of his work, most reproduced full page. G.R. Ashton remained in Australia for 14 years but spent only five on the Bulletin . His real love was painting and he exhibited widely. His paintings were usually of sentimental rural subjects and often featured horses. He also drew for the Picturesque Atlas of Australasia. In a long anecdotal interview published on the Bulletin 's 'Red Page’ of 29 June 1889 (p.20), he related peculiar commissions, his relationships with his models and his love of painting and dislike of black-and-white newspaper drawing. He returned to London in 1893-94 and settled on the River Dart with his wife and two sons. He worked for the Daily Graphic , Lika Joka , Pearson’s Magazine , St James’s Budget , Fun , Illustrated Bits , Pall Mall Magazine and The Sketch . At the outbreak of the Boer War he obtained employment at the Alhambra Theatre doing a most unusual music hall act. In time to music provided by the orchestra and attired in full tropical kit he would create a large sketch using subjects related to the War in exactly 60 seconds while the audience cheered him on. Among the subjects chosen were portraits of Roberts, Buller and Kruger, but the most popular was One for Majuba showing a Highlander bayoneting a Boer. Arthur Pearson’s Royal Magazine (vol.3, November 1899-April 1900) stated that it 'is always completed amid howls of enthusiasm while that of Kruger is a favourite for derision’. Writers: Kerr, Joan Date written: 1996 Last updated: 2007

Born

b. 1857

Summary

Painter, illustrator and cartoonist, came to Australia at the encouragement of his brother Julian Ashton. Remained in Australia for 14 years mainly working as an illustrator for various newspapers, developing a skill at political cartoons, which he later utilised back in London in an unusual music hall act doing lightning sketches of the likes of Roberts, Buller and Kruger.

Gender

Male

Died

c.1942

Age at death

85