Sir Hudson Fysh - caricature "Stopping the Sea of Hay", 1935; and, accompanying letter from Dizzy, Imperial Airways executive, to Hudson Fysh, 1936

PXA 1063/1525-1526

item

1935-1936

Graphic Materials, Drawings, Textual Records

447364

Drawings - 24.7 x 31.2 cm. - 1 pen & ink drawing
Textual Records - 1 p.

For information on the investigation of the safety of the De Havilland DH 86 by Capt. E.C. Johnston, Controller of Civil Aviation, see: Flypast : a record of aviation in Australia / Neville Parnell & Trevor Boughton. Canberra, ACT : AGPS, 1988 (2 Oct 1935, p.146)
The caricature shows Johnston, crowned and seated in an office chair, holding back the "sea of hay" blown up by D.H.86's taking off, a reference to King Canute holding back the tide

"Captain Johnston stopping the D.H.86 certificate of airworthiness" -- in Fysh's hand on the reverse
"E.C. Kingston" -- artist's signature
'"Storming the Sea of Hay" (with apologies to 1066 and all that!)' -- in ink on the lower edge of the caricature
"Personal. / My dear Fysh, One of my staff perpetrated the enclosed cartoon at my suggestion to commemorate Johnston's latest attempt to withdraw the D.H.86 C. of A. The pun Sea of Hay is abominable. / It is perhaps not in good taste & might not amuse the gentleman in question. However, I thought you would like to see it before putting in the W.P.B. & it might raise a smile. / The slip stream should blow the hay away from Johnston & therefore he need not be trying to stop it. Quite; but then he need not have stopped the C. of A! / All best wishes, / Yours aye / Dizzy" -- letter in ink on Imperial Airways letterhead, dated 3/1/36, with 25/12/35 was crossed out