Antony Maitland, the acclaimed illustrator whose intricate black-and-white drawings defined the aesthetic of children's literature in the 1960s and 70s, has died at 90 from cancer.
Best known for his collaborations with Leon Garfield, starting with Jack Holborn in 1964 and extending to the 12-volume Apprentices series (1976-78), Maitland's atmospheric crosshatched illustrations vividly evoked 18th-century England with wit and detail.
His work spanned authors like Philippa Pearce, winning the 1961 Kate Greenaway medal for Mrs Cockle's Cat, and others including Eleanor Farjeon and Penelope Lively.
Maitland also authored and illustrated books like The Secret of the Shed (1962) and Idle Jack (1977), plus the innovative pop-up Encore (1983).
He viewed illustrations as integral to the book package, drawing from a vivid visual imagination.
Born in Andover in 1935, one of six sons to Air Vice-Marshal Percy Maitland, his childhood involved global moves due to his father's RAF postings.
Educated at Churcher's College and the West of England College of Art, Maitland pursued illustration, theatre design, and printmaking.
A Leverhulme award funded European studies before national service.
Settling in London then Suffolk with partner Roderick Taylor (civil partnership 2005), Maitland's versatile career included furniture design, Middle East commissions, and portraits for the Shah of Iran.
Later focusing on illustration, he found it most demanding.
Survived by brother Charles, Maitland's legacy endures in children's literature, blending historical fidelity with imaginative flair.
2025-09-24 23:19:00
Terrifying footage has captured an EasyJet flight struggling violently to land at Edinburgh Airport as Storm Amy ravaged the capital with gusts up to 96mph.
2025-10-05 16:57:00
Faraj Al-Shamie, the father of the Manchester synagogue attacker, posted on social media praising the Hamas October 7 attacks and calling for a 'last battle with Israel.'
2025-10-05 16:03:00
A judge has ruled that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and seven of its officials are not immune from a lawsuit filed by families of Israeli hostages seeking damages over the agency's alleged aid to Hamas.
2025-10-05 15:04:00
The Prince of Wales has opened up about his vision for the monarchy's future, vowing to embrace change when he one day takes the throne.
2025-10-05 14:04:00
Storm Amy has caused severe weather-related disruption across the UK, resulting in more than 150 delayed flights at Gatwick Airport and widespread transport cancellations.
2025-10-05 13:30:00
Deadly fighting erupts between Hamas and al-Mujaida clan in Khan Younis.
2025-10-05 13:01:00
Storm Amy, remnants of Hurricane Humberto, causes closures and disruptions across UK and Ireland.
2025-10-05 12:04:00
Prince William, the Prince of Wales, confirmed he will bring 'not overly radical' but necessary changes to the monarchy when he becomes King, as he discussed his role with actor Eugene Levy.
2025-10-05 11:55:00
Dozens arrested in London as police intervene in demonstration supporting banned pro-Palestinian group.
2025-10-05 11:15:00
Storm Amy continues to cause widespread travel disruption across the UK, with a terrifying video capturing an EasyJet flight fighting gale-force winds to land at Edinburgh Airport.
2025-10-04 22:04:00
Researchers claim strong evidence of Amelia Earhart's plane in South Pacific lagoon.
2025-10-04 21:47:00
Police escalate patrols in North Wales following Manchester synagogue attack on Yom Kippur.
2025-10-04 20:28:00
A body language expert noted a moment of 'unbearable sadness' in Prince William’s TV chat as he discussed his wife Princess Kate's cancer journey and its impact on the family.
2025-10-04 20:18:00
US President Donald Trump sent a terse five-word warning to Hamas to quickly finalise a peace deal for Gaza after the militant group offered a qualified acceptance of his proposal.
2025-10-04 19:53:00
Princess Anne makes a surprise visit to Kyiv to honor children killed in the Ukraine war and meet President Zelensky.
2025-10-02 13:22:00
Amin Abedi Mofrad, 35, is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl in an Oxford alleyway after calling her his 'sex doll'.
2025-10-02 13:09:00
A nationwide Canada Post strike disrupts mail delivery, protesting service cuts and unresolved pay disputes.
2025-10-02 13:01:00
Two of Paignton's most disadvantaged areas will benefit from £20 million government investment through the Pride in Place programme over 10 years.
2025-10-02 11:37:00
Gary Viljoen visited ScotSTAR base in Paisley to thank the medical team who saved his life after a motorcycle crash left him in a coma.
2025-10-02 10:14:00
A Cattedown garage was damaged by fire that broke out overnight in Faraday Mill Industrial Park, with five fire engines responding to the scene.
2025-10-01 22:38:00
Five unoccupied houses along North Carolina's Outer Banks collapsed into the ocean as Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda rumbled in the Atlantic.
2025-10-01 20:42:00
An asylum seeker from Kuwait, Fahad Al Enaze, avoided immediate custody after admitting to trying to engage in sexual communications with a minor online, claiming he ‘didn’t know’ he was doing anything wrong.
2025-10-01 20:31:00
Facing campus bans on birth control, student activists at US Catholic universities like DePaul and Loyola are running clandestine 'womb services' to deliver condoms and emergency contraception to peers.
2025-10-01 15:57:00
The A430 in Gloucester was completely closed following a multi-vehicle crash, causing major delays before reopening just after 8pm.
2025-10-01 15:46:00
An attorney for Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old charged with the aggravated murder of conservative voice Charlie Kirk, has requested a judge grant more time to review the 'voluminous' evidence before deciding on a preliminary hearing.
2025-10-01 13:28:00
The Reverend James Haram has been found guilty of 19 charges of physical and sexual abuse against a woman and eight children over a period spanning 1997 to 2020.
2025-10-01 12:40:00
The Canadian government has designated the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, a major criminal syndicate with over 700 members that is accused of assassinations, extortion, and links to the separatist movement.
2025-10-01 11:08:00
First Lady of France Brigitte Macron and her husband, President Emmanuel Macron, have filed a new lawsuit against US commentator Candace Owens for defamation over her 'demonstrably false' claims regarding the First Lady's identity and life.
2025-10-01 10:47:00
Kiel Sanderson, 39, has denied a charge of perverting the course of justice by setting a car on fire to destroy evidence following the death of Donna Smith, 48, in Bradford.
2025-09-30 22:57:00
An investigation into a woman's death has led police to search a Hollywood Hills property rented by singer-songwriter D4vd, after the body of a 22-year-old woman was found inside the trunk of a car parked at the residence in Los Angeles.
2025-09-30 22:49:00