James Arnold (commercial artist)

James Arnold (2 July 1909 – 7 September 1999) was an English commercial artist who developed a passion for the wagons that he saw on his cycling tours of the countryside in the pre- and post-War years. He set about producing painstakingly accurate measured drawings and watercolours of all the main regional types that he came across and these he included in a series of books beginning with The Joyous Wheel (1940) and including The Farm Waggons of England and Wales (1969).

Arnold was born in Southall, Middlesex on 2 July 1909.^[1]

Never owning a car, he cycled all his life, claiming to have covered nearly half a million miles in his lifetime.^[1] He often toured with fellow members of the Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC).^[1]

In an earlier version of this article, it was suggested that Arnold was a founder member of Beacon RCC in 1946 and married fellow member Jean in 1964. However, those events almost certainly involved another cyclist of the same name (known to friends as 'Jim'/'Jimmy') who was roughly twenty years younger than the author and illustrator. See 'Talk' for details.

James Arnold died in Welland, Worcestershire, on 7 September 1999.^[1]

• The Joyous Wheel, Hamish Hamilton, 1940
• The Countryman’s Workshop, Phoenix House, 1953
• The Shell Book of Country Crafts, John Baker, 1968
• The Farm Waggons of England and Wales, John Baker, 1969
• All Made by Hand, John Baker, 1970
• Farm Waggons and Carts, David & Charles, 1977
• All Drawn by Horses, David & Charles, 1979

As illustrator:

• Hunter, Norman, Professor Branestawm's Treasure Hunt, John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1937 – Arnold's illustrations were used for the first edition only.
• Herring, Maisie. Shropshire, Paul Elek, 1949
• Peel, J. H. B. (John Hugh Brignal), The Chilterns, Paul Elek, 1950
• Edwards, Tudor. Warwickshire, Paul Elek, 1950

• London Transport Museum—an example of Arnold's commercial art, page one and page two