Walter Wilkinson

Walter Wilkinson (1888–1970) was a puppeteer, writer and artist. According to a plaque erected in the garden of a house in the village of Selworthy, Somerset, he was born in 1888, began his wandering from this location and died in 1970. It is inferred in his fourth book that he fought in the First World War on the Western Front: "Strange to think that only a few weeks ago she was charming young men in Vienna, men at whom, a few years ago, the showmen might have been pointing a rifle". Works He became interested in puppets while in Italy before the First World War, and tried to revive the anachronistic Punch and Judy show back in England. He created his own characters, carving the heads from wood, claiming that the traditional Punch and Judy was enough to scare children away. His hand puppets included Barleycorn, Uncle Joe, Old Martha, Pretty Sally, Cheeky Pipi, the Rev. Mr Black and the Monkey. He referred to his hand puppet theatre as 'The Peep-Show', also the title of his first book describing his travels with these creations. He first performed with his brother, Arthur Wilkinson, travelling the country in a caravan. Arthur later set up The Marionette Society, while Walter persevered with hand puppets.