Nevile Lodge

Biography

Nevile Lodge was a well-known cartoonist, who had a long association with Wellington’s Evening Post. Specialising in depictions of New Zealand’s rugby, racing and beer culture of the 1950s and 1960s, he was made an OBE in 1981.

Nevile Lodge’s cartooning career took off in a peculiar place. Serving as a Corporal during the Second World War, he was taken prisoner at El Alamein. During his incarceration, he entertained fellow prisoners and guards with his comic sketches. After the war, he began life as a freelance cartoonist.

For the Evening Post, he contributed ‘Lodge Laughs’, full of topical and social comment, as well as full page covers for the weekend Sports Post. This led to further opportunities, with his cartoons being used in NZ Truth, New Zealand Listener and New Zealand Free Lance. In 1956, Nevile Lodge was made the editorial cartoonist at the Evening Post, a full time engagement. He always continued to free-lance, throughout his career.

Nevile Lodge’s cartoons were typified by their accurate depictions of the behaviour and aesthetic of New Zealanders in the 1950s and 1960s. Although forays into politics were not unheard of, it is these portraits of an era which are most fondly remembered.

Adapted by Patrick Whatman from the DNZB biography by Ian F. Grant

Read the full entry in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.

Community contributions

2 comments have been posted about Nevile Lodge

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Stacey Edwards

Posted: 02 May 2016

Hello, in response to the message below I am Neviles granddaughter, on a recent trip home my mum gave me a shoe box full of letters and some cartoons to read that grandfather wrote to family and friends during the war, I would love hear more about what you have found. My email is: [email protected]

Anonymous

Posted: 16 Jan 2016

I have found several cartons and letters that Neville Drew and wrote during WW2. He was in the same battalion as my father and we have only just found them. These are private drawings and writings and are probably of much interest to his family and for NZ history. Please respond so I can forward my details.