CARTOON - KING COAL'S GROWL
1929This black and white hand drawn cartoon features a scene of a man wearing a full body horizontally striped bathing suit standing on the banks of a river. Written across his chest is [KING COAL]. He is also weaning a pair of large boots with text on each. His right boot [INDUSTRIAL] and the left [DISSENTION]. The figure who has a rotund build with large black eyebrows and a black beard is staring down into the river where written on the water is [ECONOMIC SUCCESS].
Ben Strange’s signature is in the bottom left corner
The caption with cartoon when published in the Western Mail 21 February 1929 with the caption:
King Coal: I don't see how they can expect me to swim with these boots on.
This cartoon is inspired by industrial issues that were occurring primarily in the NSW coal industry. Delegations were being sent to the Federal Government relating to the price of coal and its impact on wages.
On the day that the cartoon was published Stanley Bruce, Australian Prime Minister, announced a Royal Commission into whether or not miners had accepted the proposal for an immediate reduction in the price of coal.
Details
Details
Artist's signature bottom left [Ben Strange]
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.
City of Armadale - History House
City of Armadale - History House
Other items by Ben Strange
- CARTOON - INDUSTRIAL WRECKERS
- CARTOON - THE DECIDING FACTOR
- CARTOON - ADRIFT - DROPPING THE PILOT
- CARTOON - SHE'S COMING! - THE NEW TERROR
- CARTOON - THE WAITS CHRISTMAS 1916
- CARTOON - UNDER WHICH SCALE
- CARTOON - HIS TROUBLE
- CARTOON - TRANSFUSION OF BLOOD
- CARTOON - BEAR WITH CAP SITTING ON MAN
- CARTOON - A LITTLE BABY WITH A BIG BOTTLE
- CARTOON - THE ROGUE ELEPHANT
- CARTOON - REPAIRING HOUSE
More items like this
Other items from City of Armadale - History House
- CARTOON - THE PREMIERS CONFERENCE BOVRILISED: BUT THE STATES LIVES IN HOPE
- CARTOON - YOUR EYES HAVE TOLD ME SO
- CARTOON - THE ROAD TO ARMADALE
- AXE, FIREMAN'S
- SOUVENIR BOOKLET BLACKBOY CAMP
- PACKET HONEY LABELS
- COWLS OR COLLARS LOYAL ORANGE LODGE
- COWLS OR COLLARS LOYAL ORANGE LODGE
- SILVER MILK JUG
- BLUE GLASS BOTTLE
- EPNS BUTTER DISH LID
- EPNS BUTTER DISH