Bamforth original postcard designs

The caption for the finished card read; "It's cold today, Joe! Feeling a bit like the back end!"; artwork by D. TempestKirklees Museums & Galleries have a collection of more than 1500 items (excluding postcards) linked to Bamforth and Company, one of the best known and loved publishers of comic postcards.

Founded in Holmfirth in 1870 as a photographic studio by James Bamforth, the firm expanded into magic lantern slides, film making and in 1903 postcard production, which soon became the major part of the business.

Initially the cards used photographic views but from around 1911 to 1990 Bamforth & Co. employed artists to draw designs. There were four main artists, who were trained in-house, leading to a consistent style.

This style was established by Douglas Tempest; the two other main artists were Philip W. Taylor, from the 1930s to 1950s, and Brian Fitzpatrick, who joined the firm after Tempest's death in 1954 and continued until he died in 1974.

The caption for the finished card read; "It's cold today, Joe! Feeling a bit like the back end!"; artwork by D. Tempest