Geoffrey Whittam

Geoffrey William Whittam was born in Woolston, near Southampton, on 16 December 1916, and educated at Taunton School, Southampton, Whittam studied art at Southampton School of Art. Before the war he worked for the Post Office (1935-39), and served in the Royal Navy for six years during WW2. On his release, he worked in advertising in London whilst studying at the Central School of Arts and Crafts (1946-49). His first commissions were illustrations for the Radio Times, which led him to freelance work. He has worked mainly as a children’s book illustrator in pen, but has also produced dust jackets and colour illustrations to magazines, visualised buildings from plans and designed posters. He has also written a number of educational books, including The Whale Hunters (1954), Fur Hunting and Fur Farming (1957), Lumbering in Canada (1957), Farming on the Canadian Prairies (1959), The Zambezi (1961), The Rhine (1962), Canals and Waterways (1968).

Whittam also drew for comics in the 1960s and 1970s, including strips for Hurricane, Mandy and Victor (including at least one series starring Matt Braddock) as well as illustrations for annuals.

Whittam lived in Surrey and died in 1983.

Books
The Whale Hunters. London, G. Bell & Sons, 1954.
Fur Hunting and Fur Farming. London, Oxford University Press, 1957.
Lumbering in Canada. London, Oxford University Press, 1957.
Farming on the Canadian Prairies. London, Oxford University Press, 1959.
Exploring Canals and Waterways. Feltham, Odhams, 1968.
People of the World (Series 1), with others (contains Fur Hunting and Fur Farming, Lumbering in Canada and other titles). Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1958.
People of the World (Series 3), with others (contains Farming on the Canadian Prairies and other titles). Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1960.
The Zambezi. London, Oxford University Press, 1961.
The Rhine. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1962.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. London, Blackie, n.d.

Illustrated Books
Trouble at Trimbles by Primrose Cumming. London, Country Life, 1949.
Black Hunting Whip by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1950.
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Tain. London, Heirloom Library, 1951.
Hidden in a Dream by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1952.
The Cave by Richard Church. London, J. M. Dent, 1950.
Sealskins for Silk. Captain Fanning's voyage round the world in a brig in 1797-99 by Lucy Cheesman. London, Methuen & Co., 1952.
Charles Darwin and His Problems by Lucy Cheesman. London, G. Bell & Sons, 1953.
Muskoka Holiday by Joyce Boyle. London, Macmillan & Co., 1953.
Queen Sheba's Ring by H. Rider Haggard. London, Macdonald, 1953.
Storm Ahead by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1953.
The World's Desire by H. Rider Haggard. London, Macdonald, 1953.
Hornblower Goes to Sea (selections from Mr Midshipman Hornblower and Lieutenant Hornblower) by C. S. Forester; selected by G. P. Griggs. London, Joseph, 1954.
John Halifax, Gentleman by Dinah Mulock. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1954.
No Entry by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1954.
The Ponies Next Door by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1954.
Ten Fathoms Deep by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1954.
All Because of Dawks by Meta Mayne Reid. London, Macmillan & Co., 1955.
The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1955.
The Cruise of the Nifty Duck by Ray Harris. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1955.
The Droving Lad by Kathleen Fidler. London, Lutterworth Press, 1955.
The Golden Monkey by Frank Knight. London, Macmillan & Co., 1955.
How Much for a Pony? by Margaret Stanley Wrench. London, Lutterworth Press, 1955.
Jackals of the Sea by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1955.
The Lazy Salmon Mystery by Sutherland Ross. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1955.
The Nightbird by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1955.
Robin Hood by Antonia Pakenham. London, Heirloom Library, 1955.
Trot Home, Sally by Judith M. Berrisford. London, University of London Press, 1955.
Word to Caesar by Geoffrey Trease. London, Macmillan & Co., 1955 [1956].
Dawks Does It Again by Meta Mayne Reid. London, Macmillan & Co., 1956.
Family on the Tide by Frank Knight. London, Macmillan & Co., 1956.
Forgotten Submarine by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1956.
Foundations of English for Foreign Students by David Hicks. London, Longmans, Green & Co., 1956.
Frenchman's Secret by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1956.
Land Under the White Robe by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1956.
Moppy's Great Adventure by Jack Plant. London & Glasgow, Blackie & Son, 1956.
More Tales from Shakespeare by Charles & Mary Ann Lamb; simplified by George Horsley. London, Longmans, Green & Co., 1956.
Ponies All Summer by Judith M. Berrisford. London, University of London Press, 1956.
They Rescued a Pony by Catherine Harris. London & Glasgow, Blackie & Son, 1956.
Triple Bar by Peggie Cannam. London, Lutterworth Press, 1956.
The Twopenny Diamond Mystery by Sutherland Ross. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1956.
The White Riders by Monica Edwards. Harmondsworth, Penguin Books (Puffin Story Books 95), 1956.
The Card by Arnold Bennett; abridged & simplified by R. H. Durham. London, Longmans, Green & Co., 1956 [1957].
Patrick's Pony by Josephine Pullein Thompson. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1956 [1957].
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte; abridged & simplified by R. H. Durham. London, Longmans, Green & Co., 1956 [1957].
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. London, Heirloom Library, 1957.
Dawks on Robbers' Mountain by Meta Mayne Reid. London, Macmillan & Co., 1957.
Java Sea Duel by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1957.
Operation Seabird by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1957.
Pony Forest Adventure by Judith M. Berrisford. London, University of London Press, 1957.
Skipper and the Headland Four by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1957.
Strangers to the Marsh by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1957.
The Baffling Blue Jays by Bertha Anderson. London & New York, Abelard-Schuman, 1958.
The Cherry Cobbler by Agnes Herbertson. London & Glasgow, Blackie & Son, 1958.
Cormorant on Patrol by George Haley. London & Glasgow, Blackie & Son, 1958.
The Cownappers by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1958.
A Dog Called Scamp by Judith M. Berrisford. London, University of London Press, 1958.
Great Cowboy Adventurers, ed. Peter Baring. London, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1958.
Jackie Won a Pony by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1958.
Mystery at Mardale by Eric Leyland. London, Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1958.
The Ponies of Cuckoo Mill Farm by Catherine Harris. London & Glasgow, Blackie, 1958.
The Sailor's Knot by Sutherland Ross. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1958.
Under the Red Robe by Stanley J. Weyman. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1958.
The Adventures of Turkey, Boy of the Australian Plains by Ray Harris. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1959.
The Cave of Cornelius by Paul Capon. London, Heinemann, 1959.
Lucky Lure at Arrow Point by Mary Daem. London & New York, Albelard-Schuman, 1959.
The Monkey on the Red Rose by Heather Prime. London & Glasgow, Blackie, 1959.
A Pony and His Partner by Sheila Chapman. London, Burke, 1959.
The Queer Fish by Sutherland Ross. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1959.
Sea Wolves by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1959.
Skipper's Exciting Summer by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1959.
Son of Taff by Judith M. Berrisford. London, University of London Press, 1959.
Ten Ponies and Jackie by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1959.
The Tunnel by Eric Williams. London, Collins, 1959.
Dangerous Cargo by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Son, 1960.
The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter. London, Venture Library, 1960.
No Going Back by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1960.
Pony From Fire by Sheila Chapman. London, Burke, 1960.
Skipper and the Runaway Boy by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1960.
The Whistling Mountain by Mary Daem. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1960.
China Sea Jigsaw by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1961; New York, Roy Publishers, 1961.
Cross-Channel Mystery by Sutherland Ross. London, Brockhampton Press, 1961.
Escape in Darkness by Kathleen Fidler. London, Lutterworth Press, 1961.
Jackie's Pony Patrol by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1961.
Martin Rattler by R. M. Ballantyne; introduction by J. B. Foreman. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1961.
The Outsider by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1961.
Skipper and Son by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1961.
Storm on Kildoney by Mayne Reid. London, Macmillan & Co., 1961.
Discovering Money by David Malbert, illus. with Willaim McLaren & others. London, University of London Press, 1962.
Home to the Island by Mabel Esther Allan. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1962.
The Hoodwinkers by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1962.
The House on the Headland by Wilfrid Robertson. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1962.
The Mystery of the Dolls' House by Kathleen Moir. London & New York, Frederick Warne & Co., 1962.
A Summer at Sea by Mabel Esther Allan. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1962.
Dolphin Summer by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1963.
Jackie and the Pony Trekkers by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1963.
Prisoners Under the Sea by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1963.
Race Against the U-Boats by Robert Bateman. London, Jonathan Cape, 1963.
Strangers at Warrender's Halt by Ivy Wallace. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1963.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. London & Glasgow, Blackie, 1964.
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain; retold by George Wain. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1964.
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1964.
Fire in the Punchbowl by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1965.
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain; retold by George Wain. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1965.
Tanker Trap by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1965.
The Snake Ring Mystery by Ivy Wallace. London, Collins, 1966.
Stoker, Royal Navy by Frederick Wigby. Edinburgh & London, William Blackwood & Son, 1967.
Island of Forgotten Men by Arthur Catherall. London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1968.
A Stranger in the Village by Philip Jannetta; edited by John & Alison Tedman. London, Oxford University Press, 1968.
Jackie and the Pony-Boys by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1970.
Treasure in the Hills by John & Alison Tedman. London, Oxford Unversity Press, 1970.
The F.A. Cup Comes West by Alec Adrian. Ilfracombe, Stockwell, 1971.
The Unwilling Smuggler by Arthur Catherall. London, Dent, 1971.
The Ganja Gang by T. E. Parris; edited by John & Alison Tedman. London, Oxford University Press, 1973.
Jackie and the Pony Trekkers by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1973.
Jackie's Show-Jumping Surprise by Judith M. Berrisford. Leicester, Brockhampton Press, 1973.
The Adventures of Gulliver (based on Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift). Glasgow, Blackie, 1974.
Black Hunting Whip by Monica Edwards. London, Collins, 1974.
He Wore a Red Jersey by Alec Adrian. Ilfracombe, Stockwell, 1975.
Jackie and the Misfit Pony by Judith M. Berrisford. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1975.
Death of an Oil Rig by Arthur Catherall. London, Dent, 1976.
Tortoise the Trickster, and other folktales from Cameroon by Loreto Todd. London, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1978.
Jackie and the Moonlight Pony by Judith M. Berrisford. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1980.
Jackie and the Pony Rivals by Judith M. Berrisford. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1981.
Jackie and the Missing Showjumper by Judith M. Berrisford. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1982.
Change Ponies, Jackie! by Judith M. Berrisford. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.

(* Illustration from Swift Annual 3 (1956) © Look and Learn Magazine Ltd.)