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James (Jimmy) BancksPrint Page Print this page

Ginger Meggs Park was named in honour of cartoonist Jimmy Bancks, the creator of the Ginger Meggs character. Jimmy spent much of his childhood in the area.  

James Charles Bancks (1889 – 1952) was an Australian cartoonist best known for his comic strip Ginger Meggs. 

His first illustrations were accepted and published by The Comic Australian in 1913, followed by The Arrow in 1914. This encouraged Bancks to submit work to The Bulletin, where he was offered a permanent position, which he accepted and remained until 1922. Throughout this period he was studying art under Dattilo Rubbo and Julian Ashton and supplying freelance cartoons to the Sunday Sun.

He created Ginger (later Ginger Meggs) for the Sunday Sun and Sun News-Pictorial. Bancks created The Blimps for the Melbourne Sun in 1923, and this daily strip ran until 1925, the year when he launched Mr. Melbourne Day by Day for the Melbourne Sun-Pictorial.

On July 26, 1997, the Mayor of Hornsby, New South Wales, formally named a park in Hornsby after Bancks's character Ginger Meggs. The area had an association with Bancks because he used to spend time there in his childhood. The park is located in Valley Road, adjacent to a creek that was named Jimmy Bancks Creek.

 

Location

Address:Valley Road, Ginger Meggs Park , Westleigh, 2120
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -33.702197
Long: 151.081592
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Park
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Arts

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Saturday 26th July, 1997
Front Inscription

"Ginger Meggs Park"

Named Saturday 26th July 1997 at an official naming ceremony by the Mayor of Hornsby Shire Councillor John Muirhead to commemorate the work of cartoonist and creator of Ginger Meggs character Jimmy Bancks. 

This park marks an area where Jimmy Bancks spent much of his time as a child. 

Members of the Council

Cr John Muirhead (Mayor)  Cr William Blunt               Cr Steven Pringle
Cr Graham Orr                    Cr Margaret McMurray    Cr Owen Nannelli
Cr Steven Vandertouw        Cr Nan Horne                  Cr Scott Cardamatis

Source: MA, ADB
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au