William Stott (1944-2024)
Bill Stott was one of the best-known of contemporary cartoonists, and his humour can be considered alongside that of fellow Merseyside draughtsmen, Bill Tidy, Mike Williams, and Norman Thelwell.
Bill Stott was born in Preston, Lancashire, and attended the local art college. He then studied in Liverpool, later settling there to work as an art teacher and HMI Inspector of Schools. Whilst working as a teacher, he had his first cartoon published in Punch in the late 1970’s, launching his career as a cartoonist. Since then, his work appeared regularly in national newspapers and publications such as Private Eye, The Automobile, Classic Car Buyer and Saga Magazine. He also produced calendars of his work as well as a wide range of books including The Crazy World of… series.
Carried by his belief that ‘the public love cartoons’, Bill was a founder member of the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation (PCO), which bought together the Cartoonists’ Guild and the Europe-based Federation of Cartoonists’ Association (FECO). He was an early Editor of Foghorn, the PCO magazine. When it moved online and became The Pangolin in 2012, Bill continued contributing alongside fellow cartoonist Cathy Simpson.
In April 2014, Bill was on the organising committee for the annual Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival and the same year was involved in the Herne Bay Cartoon Festival. His work was published in Financial World and The Oldie. He served as chair of the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation, stepping down in 2018. Alongside drawing cartoons, he was a keen painter throughout his life.
Bill Stott died in August 2024, and is survived by his wife Sheila and son Nick.