Category Archives: Quentin Blake

BBC Radio 4 Great Lives – Kaye Webb

BBC, BBC Radio, Fat Puffin, Founder Member, Kaye Webb, Puffin, Puffin Books, Puffin Club, Puffin Post, Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, , , , , , , , ,

I am surprised and pleased to report that the BBC Radio 4 series, Great Lives, is honouring Kaye Webb.

I’m surprised as I would have thought that she would have been the subject long ago, but equally pleased that this is being rectified.

Kaye was nominated by old Puffineer Janet Ellis, the former Blue Peter presenter and author. Janet isn’t the only BBC R4 presenter to be an old Puffineer – Presenter and Comedian, Sue Perkins revealed that she too was a member during one of her last appearances on Radio 4’s ‘Just a Minute’ before she became the new host.

I was approached by the series producer to fill in some gaps about Kaye and the Puffin Club, although the biography ‘So much to tell’ by Valerie Grove has been of great help. So far, I don’t know if or who else is being brought in as part of the programme. As Great Lives is one of the few BBC radio series that don’t disappear from the BBC website after being broadcast, I will add a permanent link along with the Desert Island Discs programme that Kaye recorded – which is still available.

Puffin Post Vol.8 no.4

Annabel Farjeon, Barbara Willard, Jill McDonald, John Masefield, McDonald McDonald, Odway, Peter Dickinson, Puffin Club, Puffin Post, Quentin Blake

Another amazing Quentin Blake cover – you will probably have seen this one as part of the publicity for the new club. It’s certainly a vivid piece of work, and again, one of my favourites.

Slightly drier content in this one! A historical story by Barbara Willard entitled ‘Save England!’, a story ‘The Siege of Trapp’s Mill’ by Annabel Farjeon, A piece about the author John Masefield (The Midnight Folk etc.), and a more adventurous tale by Peter Dickinson -‘Up and Beyond’.

Jill McDonald has two nice scale pieces – Part 6 of Odways ‘Tales of the Golden Fleas’ and a short-lived character ‘McDonald McDonald’ – the arch detector of useless (but fascinating) information.

Something a bit more recent…Puffin Post Number 7 – Autumn 1985!

1985, Puffin Club, Puffin Post, Quentin Blake

This is one of the better covers that came with the re-branding in the 80’s – a great cover by Quentin Blake. I’m afraid this cover got some water damage, hence the creases (Too much to restore this time round without messing up the ink-wash artwork).

The inside of these felt a bit disjointed, maybe due to a loss of a house stylist to guide the way. Jill McDonald’s graphics still appear throughout the magazine – old echoes of earlier times.

The other big change – and a big mistake in my opinion – was the change in size from A5 to an awkward A4! Why??

No images for a while…

Jill McDonald, Puffin Annual, Puffin Club, Puffin Post, Quentin Blake


Dear blog reader (if you are actually there!!)

There has been a break in service due to lots of work that had to be done, and a Cambridge folk festival that had to be attended. (I’d also run out out of previously finished restoration projects)

To make up for it, here is a Quentin Blake cartoon that was destined for one of the Puffin Annuals. Sadly, there just wasn’t enough room, but it was printed in the pages of Puffin Post – never to be seen again!!!


Professor Blake did many cartoons and mini strips for the Puffin Club and was almost as much a part of the visual personality of the club as Jill McDonald. The contrast in styles had a cross-over in their humour and (again) the surreal side of their narrative.

Please remember that this image is the creative property of Quentin Blake

No images for a while…

Jill McDonald, Puffin Annual, Puffin Club, Puffin Post, Quentin Blake


Dear blog reader (if you are actually there!!)

There has been a break in service due to lots of work that had to be done, and a Cambridge folk festival that had to be attended. (I’d also run out out of previously finished restoration projects)

To make up for it, here is a Quentin Blake cartoon that was destined for one of the Puffin Annuals. Sadly, there just wasn’t enough room, but it was printed in the pages of Puffin Post – never to be seen again!!!


Professor Blake did many cartoons and mini strips for the Puffin Club and was almost as much a part of the visual personality of the club as Jill McDonald. The contrast in styles had a cross-over in their humour and (again) the surreal side of their narrative.

Please remember that this image is the creative property of Quentin Blake