Illustrator and artist, born in Bideford, Devon, where his father skippered his own fishing vessel. Bertram left school aged 12, was employed by a solicitor, but soon became a pupil at the local School of Art and Science. A fellow-student and lifelong friend, whose books he was to illustrate, was B C Hilliam, Flotsam of the radio singing duo Flotsam and Jetsam. Prance took a local studio and became a prolific producer of humorous drawings for dozens of publications, including Bystander, John Bull, Punch, Tit Bits and national newspapers. Moved to the London area and was a member of Savage and London Sketch Clubs, in 1948 the latter’s president. During World War II worked on mechanical drawings for the Admiralty. Health concerns prompted him and his wife to spend a period at Menton, in south of France, then in 1952 he settled at Leith Hill, Surrey.