John Bull John Bull John Bull is a national personification of the United Kingdom in general and England in particular, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged, country dwelling, jolly, matter-of-fact man. John Bull originated as a satirical character created by Dr John Arbuthnot, a friend of Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope. Bull first appeared in 1712 in Arbuthnot's pamphlet "Law is a Bottomless Pit". The same year Arbuthnot published a four-part political narrative "The History of John Bull". In this satirical treatment of the War of the Spanish Succession John Bull brings
Sir Robert Arbuthnot, 4th Baronet of the fiasco was the destroyer , which was engaged in a torpedo attack on the German fleet at this time. The more interesting targets "Defence", "Warrior" and then "Warspite" drew fire away from her, allowing her to escape. Her commander, John Tovey, went on to play a part in the sinking of the German battleship "Bismarck" in the Second World War. A memorial plaque was erected to Arbuthnot in St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh. and he was posthumously made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, having been made a Companion already in 1916. Sir Robert Arbuthnot, 4th