Oswald Pryor


Oswald Pryor was a South Australian cartoonist noted for his depictions of life in the Copper Triangle, particularly of miners from Cornwall.

History

Oswald was born the son of James Pryor and Caroline Jane Pryor, née Richards, both of Cornish origin, at Moonta Mines. He began work in the mines at age 13 years, under Captain H. R. Hancock. He was surface manager from 1911 to a few months before the company went into liquidation in 1923.
His earliest work appeared in Quiz from 1901, and The Gadfly in 1907, both under the pseudonym "Cipher". Encouraged by C. J. Dennis, he began submitting his cartoons depicting Cornish miners to The Bulletin. under his own name. He also contributed to the Weekly Herald, the Areas Express and Kapunda Herald.
He was a staff cartoonist for the News from 1928 to 1935.

Family

Pryor married Mabel Dixon on 8 January 1908.