Raymond Lowry was born in 1944 in Cadishead, near Manchester, the youngest of three sons of Jack Lowry, who was employed at the Irlam Steelworks, and his wife Vera, who died when Lowry was sixteen. Ray Lowry went to Urmston Grammar School, but left at fifteen to start work in a Manchester advertising agency. A self-taught artist, his first cartoon was published in the Manchester Evening News around 1967.
Lowry became a professional cartoonist in 1969 – contributing to Punch (for which he later also drew covers), Private Eye and Mayfair – and also drew for The Guardian, Manchester Review, Mojo, Vox, Arena, Tatler, The Big Issue, New Society, Time Out, The Observer, City Fun, The Independent, Loaded and The Spectator, among other publications. Lowry had a sketchy style produced using a Gillott nib with Indian ink and wash, signing his work ‘RLOWRY’, in capitals.
Ray Lowry died in Waterfoot, Lancashire, on 14 October 2008.
28 uncatalogued originals[PU0880 – 0907] (1970s)