'Smilby'

My co-blogger Russell, who reads the obituary pages with the avidity a stockbroker might apply to the Wall Street Journal, drew my attention to this one from The Independent.

Francis Wilford-Smith, aka 'Smilby', was a cartoonist who learned his craft alongside Humph and Wally Fawkes, was brother to jazz writer Charles Wilford and a blues and gospel authority.

This is but a part of his jazz side, the obit. in the Independent reveals him to have been a man of many talents and makes for quite fascinating reading - he even worked on a South Shields' tramp steamer.

Well spotted Russ!

Lance.