It is with some sadness that we have to report that our long-serving cartoonist, Dave Gaskill, died earlier last month.
He had been compiling cartoons for Financial Adviser since the early 2010s, putting together the cartoon for Regulation Street – the weekly cartoon strip on the Letters page, the illustration for the columnist’s cartoon – first Tony Hazell, and the James Coney – and the pocket cartoon for page two.
He managed to get satirical slant on financial services, but never in a derogatory manner, laughing with financial advisers over some of the absurdities of the industry.
Mr Gaskill started out training as a draughtsman, while doodling in public lavatories, after having a boyhood interest in comics.
He began his career in South Africa, then moved to Australia, before ending up on Fleet Street where he got a job at newspaper Today and had to come up with six cartoons a week.
He enjoyed this life and took part in Fleet Street pub culture, where he met his second wife Irene, and after working for Today he got a contract with News of the World, answering to Rebekah Wade.
Of Ms Wade, he said last year: “She proved very difficult to work for, and the number of ideas I submitted went through the roof, resulting in my finally walking out.
“I just couldn’t handle it any more. Not a good career move as it would turn out.”
Mr Gaskill also had a contract at The Sun, for which he won political cartoonist of the year, but this too came to an end, as he was eventually fired by Ms Wade.
Mr Gaskill, who had just turned 80, died unexpectedly after an operation, and is survived by his wife, Irene, children and grandchildren.
