Oor Wullie, Ma Broon, Lord Snooty and Desperate Dan are cartoon characters that have been loved for generations and all were brought to life thanks to illustrator Dudley Watkins, the first ever recipient of an award in Historic Environment Scotland’s Commemorative Plaque Scheme.
Lancashire-born Watkins studied at Glasgow School of Art where his talents did not go unnoticed. The principal recommended him to Dundee-based publisher DC Thomson and in 1925 he was offered part-time work illustrating stories for the ‘Big Five’ story papers aimed at young boys.
This grew into a full-time job which Watkins held down whilst also teaching illustration at Dundee College of Art in the mid-1930s. During this period he began to produce comic strips and in March 1936 he and writer Robert Duncan Low devised two series for The Sunday Post that would become perennial favourites for families across Scotland and beyond.
Oor Wullie featured the antics of a spikey-haired and dungaree-sporting boy and his gang of pals in the fictitious town of Auchenshoogle, whilst The Broons focused on a multi-generational family who live in a tenement at 10 Glebe Street in the same place.
Work for the Dandy (Desperate Dan) and the Beano (Lord Snooty and Jimmy and his Magic Patch) comics followed, along with contributions to new post-war titles Beezer and Topper in the 1950s.
His creativity remains loved by adults and children alike, be it the strips produced at his drawing board or in the work of current illustrators bringing the characters he invented to life.
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Commemorative plaques
Celebrating people from all walks of life who have contributed to Scotland’s history.
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