Charles Robinson Sykes ( (1875-1950))

Illustrator, sculptor and commercial artist. He was born Charles Robinson Sykes in Redcar but raised in Newcastle upon Tyne the son of amateur artist and house decorator Samuel Sykes (b.1850). At 25 Charles was according to the 1901 census still working as an assistant to his father in Newcastle although he had been awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London. He turned to commercial art after his studies and abandoned his middle name of Robinson. For his commercial art he adopted the names Rilette and Jacques d'Or. His commissions included work at the Cistercian Abbey at the home of Lord Montague of Beaulieu, 1903. Another followed and perhaps his best known commission was the Flying Lady mascot for Rolls Royce, 1911. Within a decade he had also designed both gold and silver cups for Royal Ascot. He went on to adopt the name of 'Rilette' signing many of his travel posters and cartoons accordingly. His cartoons appear