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Iconic newspaper cartoonist dies | Iconic newspaper cartoonist dies |
(10 minutes later) | |
Gren, one of Wales's best-known and long-serving newspaper cartoonists, has died aged 72. | Gren, one of Wales's best-known and long-serving newspaper cartoonists, has died aged 72. |
Gren - real name Grenfell Jones - drew daily cartoons for the South Wales Echo for more than 35 years. | Gren - real name Grenfell Jones - drew daily cartoons for the South Wales Echo for more than 35 years. |
His cartoons depicted south Wales valleys life, centred on the fictional village of Aberflyarff. | His cartoons depicted south Wales valleys life, centred on the fictional village of Aberflyarff. |
Gren was voted best provincial cartoonist in Britain four times during the 1980s and was made an MBE for services to newspapers in 1989. | Gren was voted best provincial cartoonist in Britain four times during the 1980s and was made an MBE for services to newspapers in 1989. |
Gren, who lives in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, died at the city's University Hospital of Wales on Thursday morning. | Gren, who lives in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, died at the city's University Hospital of Wales on Thursday morning. |
Born in Hengoed, Rhymney Valley, he produced daily cartoons for the Echo at its Cardiff base for 30 years before retiring on his 65th birthday in 1999. | Born in Hengoed, Rhymney Valley, he produced daily cartoons for the Echo at its Cardiff base for 30 years before retiring on his 65th birthday in 1999. |
Wales, rugby, local politicians, anything we in this part of the world are able to relate to - I aim to reflect our life and it goes down well with the readers Gren | Wales, rugby, local politicians, anything we in this part of the world are able to relate to - I aim to reflect our life and it goes down well with the readers Gren |
But he continued to produce cartoons for the evening paper from home as well as producing his annual rugby calendar and over 24 books. | But he continued to produce cartoons for the evening paper from home as well as producing his annual rugby calendar and over 24 books. |
Gren's humour concentrated on traditional valleys life in south Wales, with rugby, tightly-packed terraced streets and Nigel and Neville the message-bearing sheep, frequently recurring images. | Gren's humour concentrated on traditional valleys life in south Wales, with rugby, tightly-packed terraced streets and Nigel and Neville the message-bearing sheep, frequently recurring images. |
Many of Gren's originals have been sold at auction to raise thousands of pounds for charity and he was awarded an MBE for his services to newspapers in 1989. | Many of Gren's originals have been sold at auction to raise thousands of pounds for charity and he was awarded an MBE for his services to newspapers in 1989. |
Speaking at the time of his 1999 retirement, Gren said his themes, which won him a world-wide audience, had remained consistent. | Speaking at the time of his 1999 retirement, Gren said his themes, which won him a world-wide audience, had remained consistent. |
"When I started out I enjoyed the same things as I'm drawing now," he said. | "When I started out I enjoyed the same things as I'm drawing now," he said. |
"Wales, rugby, local politicians, anything we in this part of the world are able to relate to - I aim to reflect our life and it goes down well with the readers. | "Wales, rugby, local politicians, anything we in this part of the world are able to relate to - I aim to reflect our life and it goes down well with the readers. |
"I'm not trying to prove any points. I try not to get into the political area as that isn't my audience." | "I'm not trying to prove any points. I try not to get into the political area as that isn't my audience." |
Fellow cartoonist Bill Tidy paid tribute to Gren. | |
He said: "I was a great admirer of Gren. To me he was a Max Boyce on paper and a Harry Secombe in humour. | |
"He raised a large amount of money for charity, he was crazy on rugby and was the only Welshman I'd ever met who sang out of tune deliberately. | |
"He had his finger on the pulse of Wales." |