Derek Birnage
Encyclopedia
Derek Arthur William Birnage (1913-2004) was a British comics editor and writer and newspaper editor, best known as the founding editor of the weekly sports comic Tiger and as a writer of Roy of the Rovers
.
He was born in Wandsworth
, South London
, on 13 June 1913, the son of Frank Birnage, editor of the conservative evangelical newspaper the Sunday Conpanion, and was educated at Sutton Valence School
in Kent
. After leaving school he joined the comics department of Amalgamated Press under Reg Eves
, initially working on Schooldays. After it folded he moved to The Champion
as a sub-editor under Bernard Smith, also writing "Colwyn Dane", a detective strip, for the title.
During the Second World War he did his military service in the Royal Signal Corps, before acting as editor of The Champion until Smith returned. He then left to write children's stories for rival publisher Amex, but quit after only four months to run a toy shop in Bexhill
with his wife, Audrey Waterman, whom he had married in 1946, and her parents. When Audrey's mother died a few years later, the shop was sold, and Birnage returned to Amalgamated Press. In 1952 he became editor of The Champion while Smith launched a new title, Lion.
In 1954 Birnage launched a new sports-themed comic, Tiger
, and asked writer Frank S. Pepper
to create a more realistic football strip than The Champion' s "Danny of the Dazzlers". The result was "Roy of the Rovers
", drawn by Joe Colquhoun
, who later also wrote the strip under the pseudonym Stewart Colwyn. After Colquhoun left in 1959, Birnage wrote the strip himself, using the pseudonym Frank Winsor, when not ghost-writing for the credited writer, Bobby Charlton
.
Birnage left Tiger, and "Roy of the Rovers", in 1963, to edit comics annuals. He left comics in 1964 to edit his father's old paper, the Sunday Companion, until it closed in 1970, before returning to IPC
(as the publisher was now called after a series of mergers) to work for a new football comic, Score 'n' Roar, under Sid Bicknell. He also edited Smash! and Buster before he was made redundant in 1972.
After jobs in publishing, planning, and the Department of Health and Social Security
, Birnage retired to Burgess Hill
, West Sussex
, where he died on 18 January 2004, survived by his wife and their three children.
Roy of the Rovers
Roy of the Rovers is a British comic strip about the life and times of a fictional footballer named Roy Race, who played for Melchester Rovers...
.
He was born in Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
, South London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on 13 June 1913, the son of Frank Birnage, editor of the conservative evangelical newspaper the Sunday Conpanion, and was educated at Sutton Valence School
Sutton Valence School
Sutton Valence School is an English independent school near Maidstone in southeast England. It has about 520 pupils. It is a co-educational school with a boarding option . The three boarding houses are Westminster, St Margaret's and Sutton and, for those in the first and second form, Beresford...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. After leaving school he joined the comics department of Amalgamated Press under Reg Eves
Reg Eves
Reginald T. Eves was a British editor and writer of comics and story papers for the Amalgamated Press. He joined the company in 1908, and during the First World War was assistant editor, under editor John Nix Pentelow, of the boys' story papers The Magnet and The Gem, also writing many of the stories...
, initially working on Schooldays. After it folded he moved to The Champion
The Champion (comics)
The Champion was a British weekly boys' story paper published by Amalgamated Press, which ran from January 28, 1922 until March 19, 1955. Its original editor was F. Addington Symonds. From 1929 until 1940 it had a monthly, pocket-sized companion paper, The Champion Library, containing characters...
as a sub-editor under Bernard Smith, also writing "Colwyn Dane", a detective strip, for the title.
During the Second World War he did his military service in the Royal Signal Corps, before acting as editor of The Champion until Smith returned. He then left to write children's stories for rival publisher Amex, but quit after only four months to run a toy shop in Bexhill
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
with his wife, Audrey Waterman, whom he had married in 1946, and her parents. When Audrey's mother died a few years later, the shop was sold, and Birnage returned to Amalgamated Press. In 1952 he became editor of The Champion while Smith launched a new title, Lion.
In 1954 Birnage launched a new sports-themed comic, Tiger
Tiger (comic)
Tiger was a British comic magazine published from 1954 to 1985. The comic was launched under the editorship of Derek Birnage on 11 September 1954, under the name Tiger – The Sport and Adventure Picture Story Weekly, and featured predominantly sporting strips...
, and asked writer Frank S. Pepper
Frank S. Pepper
Frank Stuart Pepper was a British writer of comics and story papers for Amalgamated Press, best known as the creator of "Roy of the Rovers" and "Captain Condor"....
to create a more realistic football strip than The Champion
Roy of the Rovers
Roy of the Rovers is a British comic strip about the life and times of a fictional footballer named Roy Race, who played for Melchester Rovers...
", drawn by Joe Colquhoun
Joe Colquhoun
Joe Colquhoun was a British comics artist best known for his work on Charley's War in Battle Picture Weekly. He was also the first artist to draw Roy of the Rovers.-Biography:...
, who later also wrote the strip under the pseudonym Stewart Colwyn. After Colquhoun left in 1959, Birnage wrote the strip himself, using the pseudonym Frank Winsor, when not ghost-writing for the credited writer, Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
.
Birnage left Tiger, and "Roy of the Rovers", in 1963, to edit comics annuals. He left comics in 1964 to edit his father's old paper, the Sunday Companion, until it closed in 1970, before returning to IPC
IPC
IPC may refer to:*International Poverty Centre, of the United Nations Development Programme*IPC International, a shopping center security company*Ikano Power Centre, a shopping mall in Mutiara Damansara, Selangor, Malaysia...
(as the publisher was now called after a series of mergers) to work for a new football comic, Score 'n' Roar, under Sid Bicknell. He also edited Smash! and Buster before he was made redundant in 1972.
After jobs in publishing, planning, and the Department of Health and Social Security
Department of Health and Social Security
The Department of Health and Social Security was a ministry of the British government in existence for twenty years from 1968 until 1988, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Social Services.-History:...
, Birnage retired to Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill is a civil parish and a town primarily located in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England, close to the border with East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, where he died on 18 January 2004, survived by his wife and their three children.