The Work of Gregory Clark and Jimmie Frise

Category: Political Cartoon

Disjointed Transportation

January 14, 1911.

The Toronto Railway Company had a franchise to run Toronto streetcars from 1891 to 1921. However, there came to be problems with interpretation of the franchise terms, for the city. A series of annexations, especially in 1908–12, significantly extended the city limits. After many attempts to force the TRC to serve these areas, the city created its own street railway operation, the Toronto Civic Railways, to do so, and built several routes. This comic shows that you would have to pay another fare to use the other system. In 1921, with the end of the franchise, the city merged TRC and TCR into the Toronto Transportation Commission.

“Early Jim” – 1915/01/23

January 23, 1915

New! Starting in 2025, I’ve decided to expand the scope from the self-imposed timeline of only posting the work of Greg and Jim from 1919-1948. This will include Jim’s comics from his start in 1910-1918 (where there are more editorial comics), and Greg’s work from 1913-1918, as well as his later work after Jim’s death. This will include Montreal Standard work from 1948-1950 and his Weekend Magazine work until his death in 1977.

The above comic appeared in the Calgary “Morning Albertan” and references locals discussing war strategy from World War 1. Lord Kitchener was British Secretary of State for War at the time. It originally appeared in the Star Weekly on January 16, 1915. It looks a little better in that printing and maintains his signature.

January 16, 1915

1930 Election Posters

These posters were created by Jim for the 1930 Canadian federal election, held on July 28, 1930. William Lyon Mackenzie King lost power to the Conservatives led by R. B. Bennett. This was at the beginning of the Great Depression, so, ironically, it was better for the Liberals not to be in charge during the worst of it.

War Loan Ad

January 13, 1940

Business and Industry Now Chief Prohibition Forces

March 29, 1924

These illustrations were included in an article on Prohibition. In Ontario, it began as what was called “Local Option“, where individual towns could choose to be “dry”. It was introduced across the province in 1916 during World War One. After the war, a coalition of United Farmers and Labour kept prohibition going. After the 1923 election of Conservative Howard Ferguson (pictured as the “referee”), he moved cautiously since public opinion was still split. The illustration below shows the sides. Only after another referendum in 1924 and election in 1926 did prohibition get repealed.

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"Greg and Jim"