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CARTOON - TOMMY WALKER- STILL GOING STRONG

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Ben Strange

1923

Subcollections

Overview

A full page published black and white cartoon with text under the image.The cartoon shows a male figure in light pants, dark knee high boots, dark tailed jacket, holding a top hat in his right hand and with a cane hooked on his left wrist. The figure is inspired by the 'Johny Walker' whisky brand. To the right of him is a small fat lady wearing a beer barrel with [XXX / THE TRADE] written on it. She also is wearing stripped socks/stockings. Ben Strange's signature written in bottom right corner. The cartoons caption is printed under the image reading [TOMMY WALKER-STILL GOING ''STRONG'' / AT A MEETING OF THE W.C.T.U.,MR. THOMAS WALKER, M.L.A., AFTER REFERING TO THE MAGNIFICENT WORK IN THE PROHIBITION CAUSE WHICH HAD BEEN DONE BY THE WOMEN IN AMERICA / REFERRED TO A PRESS INTERVIEW WITH A PERSON CALLED HARRISON, AND DECLARED THAT THE STATEMENTS MADE BY HIM WERE ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE.]
Newspapers page number is in the top left of the page [22] and the papers name and date in top right corner and is underlined ["Western Mail"' August 30, 1923.]

Historical information

Ben Strange was a cartoonist for the Western Mail from 1898-1930
This cartoon is having fun with Thomas Walker a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly and member of the temperance movement. In January 1923 Walker visited the USA and on his return wrote a 101 page report on prohibition in the USA and Canada. Newspapers did have fun with his name and that of the popular whiskey 'Johnny Walker'. In this cartoon Ben Strange has drawn Walker to look like the mascot of the whisky. The cartoon relates to a statement by Mr M R Harrison of Sydney (West Australian 24 August 1923 p10) who had been on a tour of Europe and America and stated how prohibition was failing in America and that he had no problem finding an alcoholic drink. He also claimed that in Philadelphia there had been 300 deaths in three months relating to drinking cheap and dangerous liquor. He also believed most people were against prohibition thanks to the associated corruption and hypocrisy. Walker responded with letters and speeches refuting Harrison's claims especially regarding the deaths from alcohol poisoning.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-33-COA2018.69

Item type

Documents

Material

Paper

Width

31.7000 cm

Height or length

47.5000 cm

Themes

People

Photography

Social History

Inscriptions and markings

Artist's signature, bottom right [Ben Strange]

Keywords

WALKER Johnny

Western Mail Newspaper

WALKER Thomas MLA

STRANGE Ben Mr

Place made

Western Australia
Australia

Year

1923

Statement of significance

MEDIUM
This Ben Strange Cartoon is significant in how it shows the attitude of elements of the Western Australian community who did not believe in prohibition in WA and the attitude of prominent temperance promoter Thomas Walker MLA. Local newspapers reported extensively on this issue. The cartoon also demonstrates what Ben Strange's work looked like published and how it is different from his original drawings as well as showing how his cartoon style evolved over his 40 years cartooning career.

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance

Comparative significance criteria

Interpretive capacity

Rare or representative

Well provenanced