Re: The Pages of Punch

1981: A modern vicar

This vicar knows his parishioners well enough to find the right kind of analogy to help them to understand how to regulate the size of their family. Which way round is it? Is the condom like tax avoidance and celibacy like tax evasion? Or, is it the other way round? Alternatively, we can decide that family planning and tax planning are in no way similar and that it is futile to pretend that they are. It’s only a joke!

Re: The Pages of Punch

1981: Ablutions for the down and outs

There seem to have been plenty of cartoons about this section of society. The current epidemic of homeless people was still far in the future. The number can’t have been that small at the time since it led to frequent references like this.

What is actually going on here? Here is my suggestion. The empty box marked Harpic would presumably still retain a smell from its previous contents. The tramp currently sitting inside this box is behaving like a hotel guest hogging the communal bathroom. The others are impatiently waiting for their turn. One tramp is sitting inside the box marked Habitat.

Well, no – I don’t think it at all funny either.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1969: Architectural Competition

The joke is that the pharaoh has chosen the pyramid as his preferred tomb as against ornate designs that would take thousands of years to become available.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1982: Retirees in Hell

Past his best in Hell he is no longer one of the Seven Deadly Sins. As Nostalgia he has been relegated to the Second Division.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1986: Try anything once?

He seems to sound promising, or perhaps she isn’t fussy.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1977: Dress code?

As I remember it there was a tendency for accountants to embrace ‘with it’ clothing. The successful author clearly felt able to dress as he pleased. The tendency did not last long.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1972: Golfing in Scotland

McGregor lacks commitment. It rather looks as though his opponent has more than enough of that for the two of them. He looks poised to hit something other than the ball.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1972: Women’s Liberation Movement

Burning your bra coincided with the Women’s Liberation Movement going mainstream. As far as I know the two are no longer linked.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1981: Aftermath of divorce

Children do tend to re-enact what the adults are up to though probably not exactly as displayed here.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1981: Celebration

This scene is probably set in the Colosseum in Ancient Rome. The man with the wooden leg has presumably survived the man-eating lion having only lost a leg. And is stupid enough to be pleased that he will face another bout.