Caldecott

Caldecott, Randolph, artist, was born in 1846 at Chester, and made a reputation, after removing to London, as a skilful worker in water-colours and a clever illustrator of humorous books. He made his first hit in 1875 by his illustration of selections from Washington Irving's works under the title of Old Christmas. In 1877 appeared Bracebridge Hall, and in 1878 the series of picture books on which his fame chiefly rests began with John Gilpin and The House that Jack Built. He also illustrated Mrs. Comyns Carr's North Italian Folk, Mr. Blackburn's Breton Folk, and Mrs. Ewing's Daddy Darwin's Dovecote. He was a frequent contributor to Punch and the Graphic. His health giving way, he sought to recover it by change, and died in 1886 in Florida.