WE are very sad to have to announce the death from lung cancer of Tony Hall, a very good friend of the News Line, and a very skilled and accomplished cartoonist.
Tony was a revolutionary who in his work pilloried the rich and the powerful, and championed all those under attack from capitalism.
He was a long-time and determined fighter for liberty, justice and socialism.
Tony died peacefully at home last Thursday.
He was born in 1936 and grew up in Wales, Dorset and West London.
He studied painting at Hornsey School of Art and the Royal College of Art.
After briefly working as a portrait painter, he decided he no longer wanted to do ‘one-off’ art that could only be afforded by the affluent, but wanted instead to concentrate on political cartoons, illustration, photography and graphic design that could be mass produced.
He worked for The Evening News and then The Sun/News of the World while doing free cartoons for the Labour Movement – particularly Labour Herald and News Line.
During the Wapping dispute he, and other artists from Murdoch’s papers, formed Strike Graphics to produce posters, postcards, mugs, badges and T-shirts in support of the sacked workers.
Tony continued doing cartoons, graphic design and photography for Trade Unions and the ‘Broad Left’ until his illness meant he was no longer able to work.
He has lived in Hackney for the past 40 years with his family and a succession of much-loved dogs. He played jazz keyboards and drove a Reliant. He loved chips with onion gravy and had a great-granddaughter named Eva.
We send our condolences to Libby his wife. They were together for 42 years.
Goodbye Tony we will not forget you.
