1952 Cartoon

[Tim Lewis]

Rather sadly I will admit to collecting canal related cartoons. Most are fairly bad but this one from 1952 has flummoxed me. I have googled Ortulanus but am still none the wiser.

 

I have asked my Facebook friends who have come up with some interesting ideas,  can anyone here explain it?

[Hudds Lad]

3 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Rather sadly I will admit to collecting canal related cartoons. Most are fairly bad but this one from 1952 has flummoxed me. I have googled Ortulanus but am still none the wiser.

 

I have asked my Facebook friends who have come up with some interesting ideas,  can anyone here explain it?

 

 

 

assuming the apostrophe signifies a dropped H, that would give you Hortulanus

other than that i’ve got nothing  

 

Quote

EtymologyEdit

From hortulus

NounEdit

hortulānus m (genitive hortulānī); second declension

1. of or belonging to a garden, garden-
2. (substantive) gardener

 

[Rebotco]

Imagine its something to do with watering the cat instead of the plant box?

[zenataomm]

I'm guessing the agricultural link as well.

Guessing she's watering veggies instead of flowers?

[David Mack]

"Ortolanus (fl. 1300), also known as Hortulanus, was a medieval alchemist."

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortolanus

[jbzoom]

Victorian newspapers were keen on Latin bylines for their correspondents, e.g. Hortulanus for a gardening correspondent. Presumably either the BWB or an predecessor had a publication with gardening notes. Can't find much on Google, as few old newspapers are content-searchable, did find one in Brisbane - rather unlikely to have reached the canals. 

[Athy]

30 minutes ago, jbzoom said:

Victorian newspapers were keen on Latin bylines for their correspondents, e.g. Hortulanus for a gardening correspondent. Presumably either the BWB or an predecessor had a publication with gardening notes.

That's a very good theory.

[Heartland]

I did wonder if the cartoonist had made other contributions and Ortulanus was the name of the cat. Either in this publication, or in real life ?

 

It would appear Ortulanus was associated with Alchemy in medieval times.

[Ray T]

The windlass is the wrong type.

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2020 by Ray T

[Athy]

1 hour ago, Ray T said:

The windlass is the wrong type.

 

 

 

 

 

Thelwell, probably best known for sketching cute ponies, shows good observation/ knowledge of narrowboats here. Apart from their being moored too near a bridge, I can't spot any errors here, though I suspect that a few of our specialists will be able to.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Athy

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Ray T said:

The windlass is the wrong type.

 

 

 

 

 

Apart from the roses on the motor's hull the drawing is quite accurate, can you imagine what it would be like if done today. It would look nice if coloured in 

[Ray T]

40 minutes ago, Athy said:

Thelwell, probably best known for sketching cute ponies, shows good observation/ knowledge of narrowboats here. Apart from their being moored too near a bridge, I can't spot any errors here, though I suspect that a few of our specialists will be able to.

One item that immediately springs to mind is the handbowl on the butties roof. It appears to extend from the chimney to the front of the cabin.

The water cans are not in their usual place but it looks as if the boater's Mate is having a good clean.

Portholes were usually on the starboard side as in the cabin the port hand side has the stove and roof to ceiling cupboards.

 

These I feel, are however minor instances of poetic license.

 

Picture Library - Thelwell

 

Colour picture of SWAN.

 

Horseracing/hunting/fishing 90 - Thelwell

Edited November 24, 2020 by Ray T

[Tim Lewis]

54 minutes ago, Athy said:

Thelwell, probably best known for sketching cute ponies, shows good observation/ knowledge of narrowboats here. Apart from their being moored too near a bridge, I can't spot any errors here, though I suspect that a few of our specialists will be able to.

 

Thelwell did a few canal based cartoons!

 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2020 by Tim Lewis

[Athy]

24 minutes ago, Ray T said:

One item that immediately springs to mind is the handbowl on the butties roof. It appears to extend from the chimney to the front of the cabin.

.

 

 

So that's what's meant by the Big Dipper.