Harry Rountree facts for kids

Harry Rountree (born January 26, 1878 – died September 26, 1950) was a very busy and talented illustrator. He created many drawings and pictures for books and magazines in England during the early 1900s. Harry was born in Auckland, New Zealand. When he was 23 years old, in 1901, he moved to London to follow his dreams.

Early Life and Big Dreams

Harry Rountree was born in 1878 in New Zealand. He went to Queen's College in Auckland. After school, he started working at a printing company called Wilson and Horton. There, he designed things like advertisements and labels for products.

Harry also became a special artist for the Auckland Weekly News newspaper. His first drawings appeared in 1899. Even though he was doing well in New Zealand, Harry had a big goal. He wanted to become a famous illustrator in London. He once said that New Zealand was great for many things, but not for an artist who wanted to sell their work. He really wanted to see the original drawings by the artists he admired in English magazines.

Moving to London

To achieve his dream, Harry left his job in New Zealand in March 1901. His co-workers gave him a camera as a farewell gift. He then traveled to England on a ship called the RMS Omrah. He took his best drawings with him, hoping to impress art editors in Britain.

Harry arrived in London in June 1901. He had traveled through the Suez Canal and even stopped in Paris. He told a newspaper that his main reason for visiting England was to learn more about art and drawing. He planned to stay for about two years.

At that time, there were many magazines and books being published. It was a great time for illustrators. For two years, Harry tried to get jobs. Finally, in 1903, the editor of a magazine called Little Folks asked him to illustrate a story. After this first job, Harry's career really took off! He became a very popular illustrator.

Harry Rountree became well-known for his drawings of British golf courses and funny pictures about golf. His work appeared in many popular magazines like The Strand, Cassell's, Pearson's, The Sketch, and The Illustrated London News.

Harry was also chosen by Percy Bradshaw to be featured in his famous book, The Art of the Illustrator (1917-1918). This book showed the work of twenty top illustrators. Harry also helped at Percy Bradshaw's Press Art School. This school taught people how to paint and draw by mail. Harry would give students feedback on their artwork.

During the First World War, Harry Rountree served as a captain in the Royal Engineers.

From 1905 to 1939, Harry drew popular cartoons for Punch magazine. He also created advertisements, posters, and illustrations for books by famous writers like P. G. Wodehouse and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Later Life and Legacy

Harry Rountree passed away in a hospital in Penzance, Cornwall, on September 26, 1950. He was 72 years old. His wife and two children survived him.

Another artist named Bernard Ninnes wrote about Harry's work. He said that Harry was amazing at drawing birds and animals. He understood how their bodies worked and how their fur and feathers looked. Bernard also mentioned that Harry often gave his animals and birds a funny or human-like touch. This made his drawings loved by many generations of children.

Bernard Ninnes remembered Harry as a charming person with a great sense of humor. He was a wonderful storyteller. Harry Rountree was one of the leading illustrators during a time when illustration was at its very best.

A special bronze plaque was placed on Smeaton's Pier in St Ives. It honors Harry Rountree for his contributions to the art and community of the town.

Selected Works

• S. H. Hamer, Harry Rountree, Archibald's Amazing Adventure, Or, The Tip-top Tale (London: Cassell and Co., 1905)