100 Years of Ginger Meggs

Overview

This stamp issue marks the centenary of Ginger Meggs’ arrival on the comic scene in Australia. The star of Australia’s longest running and most widely syndicated comic strip, Ginger Meggs began life in November 1921 as a side character named Ginger Smith in a strip titled “Gladsome Gladys”, first published in Sydney’s Sunday Sun. By April 1922, the character had morphed into the leading man – known as Ginger Meggs – a mischievous, quick-witted, waistcoat-wearing, red-headed suburban kid.

Renamed first “Us Fellers” and then, in 1939, “Ginger Meggs”, the comic strip was originally created by James Charles “Jimmy” Bancks. By the time Bancks died unexpectedly of heart failure in July 1952, he had been committing to paper the life of Ginger Meggs for nearly three decades. Subsequent artists to create “Ginger Meggs” were Ron Vivian (1953–73), Lloyd Piper (1973–83) and James L Kemsley (1983–2007). Since 2007, “Ginger Meggs” has been illustrated by Perth-born, New York–based cartoonist and comedian Jason Chatfield. In his current incarnation, young Ginge, like many kids of the 21st century, has a smartphone and his buddies embody the increasingly diverse nature of modern Australia’s social landscape.

The stamps in this issue showcase the work of three of the five cartoonists who have illustrated this much-loved character. The shift in style, colour and typography across the stamps’ visual elements demonstrate something of the development of “Ginger Meggs” over the century.

Technical specifications

Issue date: 7 September 2021
Issue withdrawal date: 31 March 2022
Denomination: $1.10 x 3
Stamp design: Jason Watts, Australia Post Design Studio
Product design: Jason Watts, Australia Post Design Studio
Paper: gummed: Tullis Russell
Printer: EGO
Printing process: Offset lithography
Stamp size (mm): 26 x 37.5
Minisheet size (mm): 170 x 80
Perforations: 14.6 x 13.86
Sheet layout: Module of 50
FDI Postmark: Hornsby NSW 2077
FDI withdrawal date: 6 October 2021

Stamps in this issue

$1.10 Ginger Meggs (playing cricket)

This stamp design features the key pictorial element of an early Sunbeams annual cover (series 3, 1926), on which Jimmy Bancks’ depicts a happy Ginger at the makeshift wicket, poised with bat in hand. Tony the monkey plays backstop and Mike the dog is an eager fielder.

$1.10 Ginger Meggs (with friends)

In this stamp design, the work of James Kemsley is featured through the cover art of the kids’ book Wake Up Ginger Meggs, published by HarperCollins in 1989 and detailing the adventures of Ginger and his buddies Bennie and Chubb.

$1.10 Ginger Meggs (at the fence)

This stamp design features the work of current “Ginger Meggs” artist Jason Chatfield, reproducing the key element of the cover artwork for the commemorative book celebrating the centenary of “Ginger Meggs”, Bancks’ Ginger Meggs. An illustrated collection of short stories written by Jimmy’s great-great nephew Tristan Bancks, the book charts Ginger’s adventures out of the comic strip format.