Who is John Bull?

John Bull is a national personification of England created by Dr. John Arbuthnot in 1712 and popularized first by British print makers and then overseas by illustrators such as American cartoonist Thomas Nast.

As a literary figure, John Bull is well-intentioned, frustrated, full of common sense, and entirely of native country stock. Unlike Uncle Sam later, he is not a figure of authority but rather a yeoman who prefers his small beer and domestic peace, possessed of neither patriarchical power nor heroic defiance. Bull is usually portrayed as a stout man in a tailcoat with breeches and a Union Jack waistcoat. He also wears a low topper (sometimes called a John Bull topper) on his head and is often accompanied by a bulldog. John Bull has been used in a variety of different ad campaigns over the years, and is a common sight in British editorial cartoons of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

John Bull is also the name of several notable men and transportation icons:

* Bull, John, (c.1562-1628), British composer and musician
* Bull, John, (c.1740-1802), American statesman, Continental Congressman from South Carolina
* Bull, John, (1803-1863), U.S. Congressman from Missouri
* Bull, John S. (born 1945), American pilot and astronaut
* John Bull is also the name of a railroad locomotive that became the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when it ran under its own power in 1981.

Previous John Bull’s had several common traits: Their lust for life, their appetite for excitement and a commitment to doing things right.

Our John Bull has traded in his tailcoat and topper for a service station hat and coveralls. His passion for all-things-automobile is unwavering. His quest for new and exciting garage accessories is his mission. Follow JB and his faithful bulldog, Winston, as they continue to add to our collection of unique garage accessories.