Michael Charlton (1923-2008)

I've received a note from William Charlton to say that his father, childrens' book illustrator Michael Charlton, died on 23 June after a long illness.

Michael Alan Charlton was born in Poole, Dorset, in 1923 and studied at Poole School of Art and Edinburgh College of Art. According to Dictionary of British Book Illustrators, "Illustrator of children's books in black and white and full colour. He draws fluently using either a pen or a brush and often creates appropriate surface textures with a variety of media and techniques."

As well as illustrating dozens of books, including Wheezy (1988), which he wrote, he also worked for Reader's Digest Condensed Books and contributed a single illustration to Eagle and another to Swift Annual 2 (1955).

He lived in Dorset.

Eagle v.2 no.36 (14 December 1951)

Books for Children
Wheezy, illus. by the author. London, Bodley Head, Apr 1988.

Illustrated Books
Icebergs and Jungles by Shirley Carpenter & Marie Neurath; illus. with Marjorie Saynor. London, Rathbone Books, 1954.
Adventure Ahead. A book of careers for boys by Newton Branch. London, Publicity Products, 1955.
My Favourite Stories of Courage ed. Douglas Bader. London, Lutterworth Press, 1963.
The Desperate Journey by Kathleen Fidler. London, Lutterworth Press, 1964.
My Favourite Stories of Exploration ed. David Attenborough. London, Lutterworth Press, 1964.
The Etruscan Leopards by Giuliana Pandolfi Boldrini, translated by Isabel Quigly. London, Bodley Head, 1967.
Help for Tommy by Madge Dangerfield. London, University of London Press, 1967.
The High Deeds of Finn Mac Cool by Rosemary Sutcliff. London, Bodley Head, 1967.
King of the Castle by Carol Vaughan. Blackie, 1968.
Gilgamesh, and other Babylonian tales by Jennifer Westwood. London, Bodley Head, 1968.
Adventure in Scotland by James Webster. London, Ginn, 1970.
Firelight the Red Stallion by Elisabeth Hartenstein, translated from the German by Rosaleen Ockenden. London, Bodley Head, 1970.
The Long Ride by Mary Elwyn Patchett. London, Lutterworth Press, 1970.
Vian Smith's Parade of Horses by Vian Smith. Harlow, Longmans, 1970.
The Unfinished Feud by Molly Holden. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1970.
Cameras on Carolyn by Irene Byers. London, Chatto, Boyd & Oliver, 1971.
The Key by Joan Penman. London, Chatto, Boyd & Oliver, 1971.
Rus into Moscovy. The history of early Russia by E, N, Almedingen. Harlow, Longman, 1971.
White Fang by Jack London, abridged by Olive Jones. London, Collins, 1971.
White Rose and Wanderer by Molly Holden. London, Chatto & Windus, 1972.
A First Look at Vets by Valerie Pitt. London, F. Watts, 1973.
Mammals by Valerie Pitt. London, F. Watts, 1973.
I Am Adopted by Susan Lapsley. London, Bodley Head, 1974.
Pets by Valierie Pitt. London, F. Watts, 1974.
Rocks by Diana Ferguson. London, Macdonald & Co., 1974.
Beowulf retold by Gordon Walsh. London, Longman, 1975.
The Puffin Book of Horses. An anthology ed. Susan Chitty & Anne Parry; illus. with John Verney. Harmondsworth, Puffin Books, 1975.
Rachel by Elizabeth Fanshawe. London, Bodley Head, 1975.
The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; foreword by Angela Maidwell. Cobham, Starfish Books, 1975.
The Boy Who Couldn't Hear by Freddy Bloom. London, Bodley Head, 1977.
Frog Paper by Marie Hynds. Glasgow, Blackie, 1977.
Oliver's Photo by Marie Hynds. Glasgow, Blackie, 1977.
The House of the Future by Marie Hynds. Glasgow, Blackie, 1977.
The Mint Market by Marie Hynds. Glasgow, Blackie, 1977.
I Went to School One Morning by Guido Waldman. London, Bodley Head, 1978.
Septimus and the Spy Ring by Stephen Chance. London, Bodley Head, 1979. (d/j)
Ben by Victoria Shennan. London, Bodley Head, 1980.
English for Oman: Pupils' Book by J. Hobbs. Harlow, Longman, 1980.
The Finn Gang by Catherine Sefton. London, Hamish Hamilton Children's Books, 1981.
The Taste of Fear by Vera Boyle. London, Macmillan Children's, 1981.
Toby, Peetie, Harry and Fred Were Here by Vera Boyle. London, Macmillan Children's, 1981.
The Golden Bicycle by Denise Hill. London, Hamilton, 1982.
Cosmos and the Five-a-Side Cup by Peter Woodcock. London, Scholastic Book Service (Hippo), 1984.
Mandy and the Hospital by Alison Coles. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1984.
Mandy and the Train Journey by Alison Coles. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1984.
Michael in the Dark by Alison Coles. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1984.
Michael's First Day at School by Alison Coles. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1984.
Mandy and the Dentist by Alison Coles. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1985.
Michael and the Sea by Alison Coles. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1985.
Anna by Margaret Wadhams. London, Bodley Head, 1986.
The Boy and the Tiger by Roderick Hunt; illus. with others. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1987.
Kate and the Crocodile by Roderick Hunt; illus. with others. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1986.
County Rovers for Charlie by Joy Allen. London, Hamish Hamilton, 1988.
Sports Day for Charlie by Joy Allen. London, Hamish Hamilton, 1990.
My Brother's a Beast, ed. Helen Cook & Morag Styles. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1991.
Duppy Jamboree and other Jamaican poems by Valerie Bloom. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1992.
The Story of Old Jock Jockaby by Sheila McCullagh. London, Collins Educational, 1992.
Winner's Magic by Jenny Robson. Oxford, Heinemann, 1992.
All in the Family compiled by John Foster. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1993.
Look Out, Charlie! by Joy Allen. London, Hamish Hamilton, 1993.
The Tree House by Maeve Watt. London, Oliver & Boyd, 1993.
Kangaroo Daniel and the Canal Holiday by Dilys Gower. London, Scripture Union, 1994.
Mzungu by Kelly Cunnane. Oxford, Heinemann, 1994.
The Doctor's Daughter by Norma Clarke. London, A. & C. Black, 1996.
Across the Roman Wall by Theresa Breslin. London, A. & C. Black, 1997.
The Haunting of Nadia by Julia Jarman. London, A. & C. Black, 1997.
Picking Teams by Colin Pearce. Loughborough, Ladybird, 1997.
Stargazers by Marie Birkinshaw. Loughborough, Ladybird, 1997.
A Fight to Belong. A true story by Alan Gibbons. London, Save the Children, 1999.
Marlborough and Eastern Wiltshire by John Chandler. Salisbury, Hobnob Press, 2001.
Devizes and Central Wiltshire by John Chandler. Salisbury, Hobnob Press, 2003.
Beyond a Cottage Window by Mary Roberts. Salisbury, Hobnob Press, 2003.

(* Eagle © Dan Dare Corporation. With thanks to William Charlton.)