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CARTOON - SHE'S COMING! - THE NEW TERROR

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Ben Strange

1922

Subcollections

Overview

Scene of a large lady standing on a box holding an umbrella with [LONG ODDS CASH / SUSIE FIELDER] written on it. People in suits and dresses standing around. In background is a jockey on a horse. Lady is wearing a check skirt and holding a tote bag.
Ben Strange signature bottom right
The cartoon was published in the Western Mail on 25 May 1922 with the caption:
SHE’S COMING! THE NEW TERROR.
An unusual feature in the Adelaide Police Court was the reading of a charge of unlawful betting against a woman. Lillian May Wilkins (28) was accused of having been present at the Morphettville racecourse for the purpose of betting other than by means of the Totalizator. Detective-Sergeant Allchurch said that two policewomen had detected the defendant taking bets and observed several transactions take place.

Historical information

This cartoon is commenting on a court case in Adelaide where Lillian May Wilkens (age 28) was accused of having been present at the Morphettvale race course for the purpose of betting rather than by means of the totaliser. Accompanying article states 'Detective-Sergeant Allenchurch said that the two police women had detected the defendant taking bets and observed several transactions taking place with her and that she had several transactions on her. Lillian was fined seven pounds. The story made it into a number of papers across the country.
This story may have appealed to Ben Strange as he was not a fan of gambling on horse racing. During World War One he had drawn several cartoons very critical of the industry and his perception that they were distractions peoples attention and money away from the war effort.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-33-AK1999.97

Themes

People
Social History

Material

Ink

Paper

Pencil

Inscriptions and markings

Artist's signature bottom right [Ben Strange]

Keywords

BIRTWISTLE Ivor T Mr L/Cpl

STRANGE Ben Mr

Western Mail Newspaper

West Australian - Newspaper

Year

1922

Statement of significance

HIGH
The Ben Strange cartoons are historically significant as they depict many key figures linked to the history and development of both Western Australia and Australia. Political figures who regularly appeared in his cartoon’s included John ‘Happy Jack’ Scaddan, the Premier of Western Australia from 1911 until 1916, and William ‘Billy’ Hughes, the Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923.

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria

Object’s condition or completeness

Rare or representative

Well provenanced

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