Introduction by - Lee Latchford Evans

My childhood memories will never fade as long as my collection of Giles annuals sits on my study shelves. I remember always getting the newest edition for Christmas. It became a tradition, it was expected, each book full of a year's worth of funny scenes and endearing characters, it was a treasure trove of exciting clips that I could lose myself in and imagine I were there in the frames.

The most famous of all Giles's characters was Grandma, a grumpy difficult old lady with a distinctive hat and umbrella (my manager sometimes reminds me of Grandma!).

I've read that Giles was a perfectionist and liked to spend up to six hours on a single drawing so that the detail became a huge part of the entertainment value. I recall scenes with animals and all of them had their own characters; each individual animal was just as important to Giles as the other. I liked to look out for the little extra characters almost hidden in the background of his cartoons - they might be small but were full of life and are so important to the overall story being told by the picture.

Giles drew thousands of cartoons spanning generations - he drew history. He was a true inspiration to the creative mind and a real genius, appreciated by people wanting to learn about the world around them. He has left us a wonderful legacy, a colourful portrait of history, which we can continue to enjoy for years to come. I am one of his greatest fans. Thank you Giles!

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