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Woman
Hutchinson & Co., 34, Paternoster Row, London E.C.4
Woman was a high quality and relatively costly monthly magazine that was devoted to Beauty Culture, Health, Home Decoration, Fashions and Fiction. It lasted for 63 issues between April 1924 and July 1929 (there was a double issue in June and July, 1926 for some reason). I have 19 of 24 issues containing illustrations by Blampied.
The magazine seems to be aimed at posh women as there were articles written by Lady Angela Forbes, Lady Dorothy Mills, Lady Kitty Vincent, Lady Delia Huntingdon, Lady Brittain, Lady Henley, Lady Ridley and the Baroness Skornik, on subjects such as 'A Perfect Wife', 'Lingerie', and 'What makes woman beautiful'. But there were also short stories by well known writers such as E.F. Benson, Stacy Aumonier and Mrs Belloc-Lowndes, the sister of Hilaire Belloc.
The cover was always designed by Rilette (see left), the pseudonym of Charles Sykes, an artist and sculptor who designed the mascot used on the bonnet of Rolls Royce cars. All the commissioned illustrations were printed in monochrome except for the December issue, which had a few in colour. The short stories were published as a monthly serial, sometimes over a period of almost a year, and then they were re-issued in book form, so they were published twice. That's how to make money.
The magazine began with 96 pages costing 1 shilling and then increased to 128 pages in December 1926 costing 1 shilling and six pence. Each volume of the magazine contained six issues, with pages numbered within the volume. The stories were usually spilt: the first half was printed in the front of the magazine and was illustrated; the rest was towards the back of the magazine among the advertisements, which explains some of the wide page ranges.
Cover design by 'Rilette' (Charles Sykes)
At the same time that Blampied's illustrations were appearing in this magazine, his drawings were also published in Hutchinson's Magazine, which featured only fiction. Woman merged with Hutchinson's Magazine, then called Hutchinson's Story Magazine in 1929, a few months before the Wall Street Crash, which ended the lives of many magazines of this type. The 1920's was a golden age for fiction magazines and the illustrators of stories.
Three other illustrators whose work appeared in this magazine were friends of Blampied and were represented by his brother, John (Jack) Blampied, who was an artists' agent: John Nicolson (who signed his work 'Nick'), Robert Charles Peter (who signed his work 'Peter'), and Blampied's brother-in-law Saloman van Abbé (who signed his work 'Abbé', 'Abbey' or 'C. Morse').
The illustrations to the story entitled The Crimes of Little Jimmy Dodd by Berta Ruck in issue 4 of volume 4 are unusual in that they are signed 'L'Arbalestier' rather than the usual 'Blam'. The drawings are in Blampied's typical style, the signature is in his hand writing and the name is strongly associated with Jersey, so the attribution is in no doubt. It is not clear why he would use a pseudonym, but perhaps he felt that there were too many illustrations by him in this title? His illustrations to a serial by Geoffrey Moss had appeared in six of the previous issues of the magazine and he illustrated another story in the same issue using the name 'Blam'.
The issue of May 1925 contained monochrome photographs of two oil paintings by Blampied that had been shown recently at the Leicester Galleries in London in a exhibition featured here. One of them was an oil painting of Galloping home in the rain, based on his etching masterpiece. The original of this paintings is Now in a Good Home. The other painting illustrated is entitled Haymaking, Jersey.
See also:
Mike Ashley (2006) The Age of the Storytellers. British Popular Fiction Magazines 1880-1950. London & Delaware, USA: The British Library and Oak Knoll Press
(Last updated on 12/5/2025)
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— 1924 —
April, volume 1, number 1, pages 6-13: The arms of the sun (Part 1) by Lady Dorothea Mills.
Title design and 5 monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
May, volume 1, number 2, pages 128-166: On the road by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.
One monochrome drawing in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
May, volume 1, number 2, pages 152-166: The arms of the sun (Part 2) by Lady Dorothea Mills.
Title design and 5 monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
June, volume 1, number 3, pages 225-226: Woman and her in-laws by Lady Cynthia Asquith.
Two monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
June, volume 1, number 3, pages 245-246: Love sonnets, two poems by Zora Cross.
Two monochrome drawing in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
June, volume 1, number 3, pages 252-268: The arms of the sun (Part 3) by Lady Dorothea Mills.
Title and 4 monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
July, volume 1, number 4, pages 337-338. Love sonnets two poems by Zora Cross.
Two monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
July, volume 1, number 4 pages 355-367. The arms of the sun (Part 4) by Lady Dorothea Mills.
Title and 4 monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
August, volume 1, number 5, pages 427-428. Love sonnets poems by Zora Cross.
Two monochrome drawing in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
August, volume 1, number 5, pages 434. Unromantic feet by 'A woman Physician'.
Monochrome title decoration and a silhouette, both signed Blam.
August, volume 1, number 5, pages 445-451. The arms of the sun (Part 5) by Lady Dorothea Mills.
Title and 6 monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
September, volume 1, number 6, pages 505-509. The choice by Mrs Belloc Lowndes.
Four monochrome drawing in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
September, volume 1, number 6, pages 517-518. The hootie-boo by Lady Kitty Vincent.
Five monochrome drawings in pen and ink signed Blam.
November, volume 2, number 2, pages 116-119. Her judgement day by Mrs Belloc Lowndes.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
— 1925 —
January, volume 2, number 4, pages 333-334. The Adventuress by Lady Kitty Vincent.
Two monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
April, volume 3, number 1, pages 59-64. New shells for eggs by Elizabeth Craig.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
May, volume 3, number 2, pages 116. Monochrome reproductions of Galloping home in the rain and Haymaking, Jersey, oil paintings by Blampied.
August, volume 3, number 5, pages 391-394 Whipped cream (Parts I - IV) by Geoffrey Moss: 4 monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
August, volume 3, number 5, pages 431-434. Diana: twentieth century by Mrs Charles Brookfield.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
September, volume 3, number 6, pages 487-490. Whipped cream (Parts V-IX) by Geoffrey Moss.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
September, volume 3, number 6, pages 523-524. Age married to youth by Lady Diana Forbes.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
October, volume 4, number 1, pages 7-10. Whipped cream (Parts IX-XIII) by Geoffrey Moss.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
November, volume 4, number 2, pages 103-106. Whipped cream (Parts XIII-XVII) by Geoffrey Moss.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
December, volume 4, number 3, page 223-226. Hush-sh-sh-sh! and Le Pierrot embarassé.
Two full page colour drawings, signed Blam.
December, volume 4, number 3, pages 241-244. Whipped cream (Parts XVIII-XXIV) by Geoffrey Moss.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
December, volume 4, number 3, pages 256-257. My happiest Christmas by Elizabeth Craig.
Three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
— 1926 —
January, volume 4, number 4, pages 327-330. The crimes of little Jimmy Dodd by Berta Ruck.
Four monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed L'Arbalestier.
January, volume 4, number 4, pages 371-374. Whipped cream (Parts XXV-XXX) by Geoffrey Moss.
A title and three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
February, volume 4, number 5, pages 465-470. Whipped cream (Parts XXXI-XXXV) by Geoffrey Moss.
Title and three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
March, volume 4, number 6, page 545. Lobsters by Susan Priestley.
Two monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
March, volume 4, number 6, pages 557-560. Whipped cream (Part XXXVIII, Book II, Parts I-V) by Geoffrey Moss.
A title and three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam.
April, volume 5, number 1, pages 29-32. Between the Nisi and -- by Mrs Belloc Lowndes.
Three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam. [No images available]
April, volume 5, number 1, pages 47-50. Whipped cream (Part ?) by Geoffrey Moss.
Three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam. [No images available]
April, volume 5, number 1, pages 51. Chicken hot and chicken cold by Antonia Parkes.
Three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam. [No images available]
May, volume 5, number 2, pages 143-146. The lady in pursuit by K.R.G. Browne.
Three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam. [No images available]
June & July, volume 5, number 3/4, pages 249-252. The crooked finger by Mrs Belloc Lowndes.
Three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam. [No images available]
August, volume 5, number 5, pages 375-378. The King's candle by E. Temple Thurston.
Three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam. [No images available]
December, volume 6, number 3, pages 235-316. And no bird sings by E. F. Benson.
Three monochrome drawings in pen, ink and wash signed Blam. [No images available]
December, volume 6, number 3, page 284. Cocktails.
Two cartoons in pen and ink, signed Blam.
— 1927 —
July, volume 7, number 4, pages 392. On falling in love by Lady Norah Bentinck.
One pen and ink drawing signed Blam. [No images available]