Norman thelwell was born in birkenhead on 3 may 1923 his love of the countryside was fosteredby childhood visits to a north wales farm and was strengthened throughout his life his first cartoon for punch was published in 1952 and this relationship lasted for 25 years and over 1 500 cartoons the first pony cartoon was published in 1953 and by accident led to a lifetime of association with the image of the little girl and the fat hairy pony as norman said in his autobiography i was a sort