676. A Series of Cartoons by Charles Shannon (1)

Between 20 October 1886 and 12 March 1887, a weekly satirical magazine was published of which only one copy has survived (in the British Library). It was called Alarum, subtitled: A Panorama of the Times. Its headpiece showed a running trumpeter and in the foreground the figure of Britannia resting next to a shield with the Union Jack. The slogan ‘Awake! Arise!! or be for ever fallen!!!’ appeared below the title. Priced one penny, it was printed on the day of issue by the firm of Page, Pratt, & Turner at 5, 6 and 7 Ludgate Circus Buildings, next door to the Alarum Newspaper Company which was housed at No. 4. 

The Alarum, Vol. 1, No. 1, 20 October 1886

The 'Introduction' to the first issue stated: 'Why are we a novelty? Because not a single member of our staff, from the Editor to the office-boy, receives a farthing for his services', and: 'Our sole ends and aims are for your instruction and amusement'. 

Charles Ricketts contributed five drawings starting with the first issue. Shannon's drawings appeared from number 2 tot number 4. All his drawings were dated ('86'). Their friend Reginald Savage published one drawing in the second number. The authorship of the captions and texts of these drawings has not been ascertained. The magazine ran a competition for cartoons and the winning illustration was rewarded with publication and a prize of one pound. Both Ricketts and Shannon published more than one drawing in one of the issues, which must mean they were rewarded in another way, or they hoped to attract attention of other magazines for paid work. They discontinued their collaboration after 10 November 1886.

Charles Shannon, illustration in The Alarum, Vol. 1, No. 2 (27 October 1886)

Shannon's first illustration is set in a large garden with a pond, a group of ladies near terrace steps and, in the foreground, under the shade of a tree, three women and a child seated at a table or on a bench. The girl asks: 'Do you like babies? We have one at home.' A 'guest'  answers: 'Your dear little brother?' And the girl says: 'You can have it if you like, but don't tell mama.' 

It is a well-balanced realistic drawing, and although Shannon would depict women and children often in his lithographs and paintings, at the time of this drawing he was mostly painting religious scenes of saints in watercolour.