It were a hard life - but seemples: Pictures from the past... with a touch of meerkat mayhem


Peoples say life in the olden days was never easy. But these photographs from a new book show there were — as the meerkat ads would put it — plenty of ‘seemples’ pleasures to be had. Here, with a little computer wizardry, our furry friends pop up in these iconic pictures from a very different age...


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Dry run: Even though we had to wash in a tin bath, I always knew that the meerkat shall inherit the earth

Dry run: Even though we had to wash in a tin bath, I always knew that the meerkat shall inherit the earth

The munch bunch: We youngsters loved our apples. Secretly, I always hoped I'd find a nice juicy worm in mine

The munch bunch: We youngsters loved our apples. Secretly, I always hoped I'd find a nice juicy worm in mine


Image from the book 'When I Were A Meerkat' by Andrew Davies
Image from the book 'When I Were A Meerkat' by Andrew Davies

Blowing my own trumpet: My nurse was captivated by my meerkat manner, left, while I could reduce grown men to tears with my rendition of On Ilkley Moor Meerkat

Basket cases: Unlike the other children, we meerkats quickly learned to stand on our hind legs

Basket cases: Unlike the other children, we meerkats quickly learned to stand on our hind legs

Image from the book 'When I Were A Meerkat' by Andrew Davies
Image from the book 'When I Were A Meerkat' by Andrew Davies

Boys own: My landlady forbade foraging after 10pm and dead lizards in the bedroom, left, and I grew to love comic book heroes like Korky the Meerkat

Totally nuts: The other schoolchildren were impressed with my natural skill during games of conkers

Totally nuts: The other schoolchildren were impressed with my natural skill during games of conkers

All wrapped up: I learnt how to keep furry warm in the breezy classroom

All wrapped up: I learnt how to keep furry warm in the breezy classroom

Animal hospital: Every few months the nurse treated our ailments. I was inoculated against snake venom and jackal bites

Animal hospital: Every few months the nurse treated our ailments. I was inoculated against snake venom and jackal bites

Teacher's pet: I always got high marks for my wild tales of derring-do

Teacher's pet: I always got high marks for my wild tales of derring-do

Up the Badgers: Each Saturday, we watched our local team, Fulham, and my favourite player, Bobby Meerkat

Up the Badgers: Each Saturday, we watched our local team, Fulham, and my favourite player, Bobby Meerkat

Desert rat: After work, Dad would tell us stories about the Kalahari

Desert rat: After work, Dad would tell us stories about the Kalahari

  • Pictures taken from When I Were A Meerkat by Andrew Davies (Portico/Anova books, £9.99)


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