On 13 November 1921, cartoon character Ginger Smith made his first appearance in the Sydney Sunday Sun colour comic strip Us Fellers, which was created by James 'Jimmy' Charles Bancks. By 1922 the mischievous red-haired, young boy character Ginger had become Ginger Meggs, with a gang of mates, enemy Tiger Kelly, and girlfriend Minnie Peters.

For three decades Ginger's adventures appeared weekly in the Sunday Sun, and from 1924 in Sunbeams publications. Bancks died in 1952 with the express wish that the strip continue after his death. Ron Vivian and Lloyd Piper both worked on the comic strip, and in 1983, James Kemsley commenced creating Ginger Meggs. Since Kemsley's death in 2007 the comic strip has been drawn by Jason Chatfield of Perth. Known throughout Australia, Ginger Meggs comic strip is widely syndicated and published in more than 20 countries.

Fleetingly in the mid-1980s Adelaide's Sunday Mail ceased publishing the weekly comic strip. Following letters of protest from young readers Ginger Meggs was quickly reinstated to the Sunday comic strip supplement in the local paper.

Ginger's popularity stems from appreciation for his humour, optimism, self-reliance, fearlessness and larrikinism. An 'Aussie battler' true to his own code of honour, he is no less popular today than when originally conceived.

Bancks, J. C. (James Charles). The golden years of Ginger Meggs: the best of J.C. Bancks, 1921-1952/ edited by John Horgan, Sydney: Pan Books, 1982

Hutchinson, Garrie. True Blue - A to Z of Australian icons from Anzac to Fatso, from Ginger Meggs to zinc cream, Camberwell, Vic.: Viking, 2002

Australian Dictionary of Biography onlinesee: Bancks, James Charles (1889-1952)

Heroes & Villains: Australian comics and their creators online cataloguesee: Larrikins, tearaways and dags [State Library of Victoria]

Perth Now: Perth cartoonist dedicates his life to Ginger Meggs comic

Sydney Morning Herald: Ginger Meggs cartoonist dies

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing exhibitions. To be a child August 2004-