Benjamin Edward (Ben) Strange (1868-1930), cartoonist, was born on 10 May 1868 at the cavalry barracks, Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, son of Benjamin Strange, private in the 10th Hussars, and his French wife Augustine, née Menefoz. After serving in India, his father retired and Ben attended a London board school. He learned drawing and painting at evening art classes and from a family friend who illustrated weekly journals.
Benjamin Edward ‘Ben’ Strange 1868-1930
Benjamin Strange was born in Ireland and was trained in drawing before he migrated to Western Australia in 1885. He worked as a dryblower amongst the many hopeful prospectors in the Yilgarn goldfields. Whilst prospecting, he maintained his interest in sketching, and his early humorous cartoons of the local scene were accepted by The Bulletin in Sydney.
Migrating to Western Australia in 1885, he went a few years later to the Yilgarn goldfields as a dryblower and while there contributed cartoons to the Sydney Bulletin. He joined the staff o the
In 1894 he joined the staff of The Coolgardie Miner and The Coolgardie Pictorial. His cartoons were published in other goldfields newspapers, and by 1898 he was also employed to work for the Western Mail in Perth where he continued to work when he suddenly of heart disease on 16 August 1930. He was buried in the Anglican section of Karrakatta cemetery.
Strange was a gentle satirist, devoted to Western Australia and to the British Empire. His favorite characters were Sir John and Alexander Forrest, Sir Walter James and John Scaddan. His sharpest cartoons were aimed at radicals and Labor politicians. He said:
Although very fond of drawing, I’m afraid much of my time was wasted, trying to paint, my efforts good, bad, or indifferent – mostly indifferent, I’m Thinking. Beyond the instruction imbibed from school teachers, artistic friends and the small art classes I attended, generally at night-time, my knowledge of art was limited.
Short and stocky, with a waddle in his walk, Strange was good humored and kindly; a bachelor and at times a loner, he was fond of a drop and lived at the edge of suburban Perth near the Canning Bridge.
One of his more well known cartoons and considered his best is this one (above) entitled ‘East is East and West is West’ and was published after the 2nd conscription referendum in 1917. It depicts the map of Australia halved – the Western side carrying the YES vote in the head of a lion and the Eastern side with the NO vote as the head of a rabbit.
Western Mail, 28 June 1918
Ben had a history of commenting on the social concerns of horse racing and gambling with this cartoon appearing in the Western Mail on January 12, 1901. The Western Mail devoted three pages to racing results and stories in the same edition.
He was also against cruelty to animals.
Strange’s War: The World War One Cartoons of Ben Strange – https://library.armadale.wa.gov.au/ben-strange
Family
Grandparents: Edward Strange 1811-1846 and Mary Strange (nee Wilmot) 1809-1895.
Father: Benjamin Strange 1838 – 1898.
Mother: Augustine Eugene Menegory 1839- 1912 (from France)
Married: Dundalk, Co Louth, Ireland 02/10/1867.
Children: Louisa Florence 1866-1903, Benjamin Edward 1868-1930, Cordelia Mary 1871-1873 and Albert Edwin 1874-1927.
Ref:
The Australian Dictionary of Biography
The Metropolitan Cemetery Board of WA
Armadale Library
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