Miss Ellen Terry and her dogs

Harry Furniss, son of an English engineer, was born in Wexford, Ireland, and worked as an artist. He moved to England in 1876 and worked highly successfully for the Illustrated London News. He began contributing to Punch in 1880 and in 1884 he joined its staff, illustrating (for example) the 'Essence of Parliament' as well as supplying articles, jokes, illustrations and dramatic criticism. He left Punch in 1894 when it sold the copyright of one of his drawings to Pears Soap for advertising and started his own cartoon magazine, Like Joka. When it failed he moved to the USA and worked in the film industry with Thomas Edison. In 1914 Furniss helped pioneer the animated cartoon film.

Ellen Terry (1847-1928) was a famous actress, one of eleven siblings she won fame as a child first appearing on stage in 1856 with Charles Kean. She married the painter George F. Watts in 1864 but separated within a year. Terry had two children by the architect Edward Godwin. Returning to the stage in 1872 to establish herself as a leading actress with the Bancroft's and John Hare's company she performed her most memorable roles under the management of Henry Irving and in later life continued to act but also produced plays, lectured and wrote. She was created a Dame in 1925.