Past Imperfect/Russell Brockbank:To several generations of motorists, motoring humour was encapsulated by the name of one man: Russell Brockbank.
No other writer or artist seemed to have his ability to portray the daily incidents which are part of motoring for all of us who drive with such wit and accuracy. Not only are his drawings accurate portrayals but their drivers are utterly convincing.
It will be a surprise to many who loved his weekly forays in motoring humour in The Motor and Punchthat Russell Brockbank was of Canadian origin, having been born near Niagara Falls, Ontario, on April 13th, 1913.
He began drawing cars at the age of four and these early drawings displayed oval wheels well off the ground, something that continued in virtually all his drawings throughout his career. In 1929 he came to England and studied at the Chelsea Art School.
The MG Car Club and Speed magazine were the first to publish his drawings, usually of the racing cars that he loved and which he travelled to Brooklands to sketch. During this time, to increase his earnings, Brookbank worked under several different names, changing the style of each drawing to suit the persona under which it was published.
Years later he recalled being approached by a racing driver who asked him how much it would cost to draw five different Christmas cards each showing a different racing driver. "Five pounds," he replied. "Fine," said the driver, counting out five £5 notes. Brockbank was staggered having meant £5 for the lot - £25 being several weeks wages at the time.
Serving in the Royal Navy during the second World War, Brockbank continued to draw but began to concentrate more and more on cartoons of racing cars. The war over, he became The Motor'sregular cartoonist and created his best-loved character, the mythical Major Upsett. The adventures of the Major - a short man with a bowler hat - were followed by a legion of loyal fans through a continuous series of absurd motoring situations for the rest of Brockbank's life.
Perhaps he himself summed up his life and career best in a few short autobiographical notes he wrote for Automobile Quarterly. "Hopeless racing addict, prone to regard the Fangios, Clarks and Stewarts as gods and have to be restrained by wife from prostrating myself at their feet. Getting too old to drive things like D-Types. Work seven days a week, as can't think of anything better to do. Can never retire. Hopeless case."
And so it was as this most likable of artists continued a steady flow of brilliant cartoon drawings right up to his death in 1979 at the early age of 66.