Jack Borg

More delvings into the Swift Annual...

Jack Borg is credited with writing material for the first two Swift Annuals and, although all the stories and strips are published anonymously, I suspect his contributions were the stories 'Bail Up!' (Swift Annual 1, 1954) and 'Arizona Hold-Up' (Swift Annual 2, 1955). Borg was a prolific writer of westerns and these are both tales of the wild west and the most likely thing for him to have written.

Jack Borg was the pen-name of Philip Antony Borg, born in King's Norton on 4 March 1910. Nothing is known about his life although a bit of genealogical digging reveals that he was the eldest son of Philip Anthony Borg (born in King's Norton in 1886, the son of Italian-born Philip Antone Borg (c.1840-1891) and his wife Edith (nee Hatfield). He had three younger siblings, Neville (1912- ), Gerard (1914- ) and Barry Denzil (1916- ).

Philip Antony Borg published his first novels as Jack Borg in 1954 (the same year as his appearance in Swift Annual) and went on to write over 60 novels, 34 as Jack Borg, 15 as Phil Bexar and 14 as John Q. Pickard, averaging three novels a year. Two of his novels were for children, published by Collins (Children's Press) and he also published a number of short stories for children and adults.

His last novel appeared in 1975 and Borg died a year later, his death registered in Ludlow.

Novels as Jack Borg (series: Hogleg Bailey)
Hellbent Trail. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1954.
Sheriff of Clinton. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1954.
Big Cherokee. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1955.
The Cannon Kid. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1955.
Bushwack Canyon. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1956.
Sheriff's Deputy. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1956.
Bronco Justice. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1957.
Gunsmoke Feud. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1957.
The Cherokee Trail. London & Glasgow, Children's Press, 1958.
Kansas Trail (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1958.
Rawhide Tenderfoot. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1958.
Badlands Fury (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1959.
Rustlers' Range. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1959.
Range Wolves (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1960.
Saddle Tramp (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1960.
Horsethieves Hang High (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1961.
Kid With a Colt (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1961.
Guns of the Lawless (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1962.
Cast a Wide Loop (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1963.
Texas Wolves (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1963.
The Trail Drivers. London & Glasgow, Children's Press, 1963.
Gun Feud at Sun Creek (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1964.
Rope for a Rustler (Hogleg Bailey). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1965.
Stagecoach to Concho. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1966.
Dry Valley War. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1968.
The Owlhooter. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1968.
The Long-Ropers. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1969.
Badman's Shadow. London, Hale, 1972.
The Man from San Antonio. London, Hale, 1972.
Tumbleweed Man. London, Hale, 1972.
Badman Headed North. London, Hale, 1974.
The Calico Kid. London, Hale, 1974.
Showdown at Sweet Springs. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1975.
Trail of Dead Men. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1975.

Novels as Phil Bexar (series: Billy Dupree)
Law of the Six-Gun. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1957.
Storm in the Saddle. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1957.
Guns Over Texas. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1958.
Showdown in Gunsmoke. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1958.
Outlaw Marshal. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1959.
Six-Gun Fury. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1959.
The Lone Prairie (Billy Dupree). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1960.
Cowtown Fury. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1961.
Trail to Slaughter Creek (Billy Dupree). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1961.
Cowtown Marshal (Billy Dupree). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1962.
Texas Terror (Billy Dupree). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1962.
Maverick Gunfighter (Billy Dupree). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1963.
Rustler Guns (Billy Dupree). London, Herbert Jenkins, 1964.
The Banks of the Sacramento. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1968.
Hardcase Prodigal. London, Herbert Jenkins, 1969.

Novels as John Q. Pickard
Medicine Pony. London, Ward Lock, 1962.
Trail of Fury. London, Ward Lock, 1962.
Sixgun for Sale. London, Ward Lock, 1963.
Gone to Texas. London & Melbourne, Ward Lock, 1963.
Black Hawk. London & Melbourne, Ward Lock, 1964.
Cactus Maverick. London & Melbourne, Ward Lock, 1964.
The Gringo. London & Melbourne, Ward Lock, 1965.
Whistling Bone Creek. London & Melbourne, Ward Lock, 1965.
Pistol Wages. London, Ward Lock, 1966.
Richer Than Tombstone. London, Ward Lock, 1966.
Blood Creek. London, Ward Lock, 1967.
The Horsethieves. London, Ward Lock, 1967.
Buzzard Bait. London, Ward Lock, 1968.
Comanche Crossing. London, Ward Lock, 1968.

Short Stories as Jack Borg
Broken Spur! (in Western Library 108, Sep 1954)
? Bail Up! (Swift Annual 1, 1954)
? Arizona Hold-Up (Swift Annual 2, 1955)
Sino-Japanese Incident (Combat, Dec 1956)
The Silver Bullet (Combat, Mar 1957)
Line and Sinker (Combat, Apr 1957)
Jackpot (Evening News, 5 Dec 1960)
Shake (Evening News, 21 Jan 1961)


Note
The illustration is from Swift Annual 2's story 'Arizona Hold-Up' and is © Look and Learn Magazine Ltd.

(* My thanks to Jane Borg, a relation of Jack's, who has been a great help in adding some details to the bare branches of Jack's family tree.)