Picture Perfect Painting of Spartan G-ABYN

There are artists and there are top flight artists. Isle of Wight artist Ivan Berryman is a master of detail who has executed this extraordinary painting of the Spartan bi-plane G-ABYN flying over Queen Victoria’s beloved home of Osborne House, East Cowes, Isle of Wight.
The plane was built by Spartan Aircraft, a subsidiary of Saunders Roe of East Cowes, in 1932.
Ivan was commissioned to paint this picture as part of the fundraising campaign to buy the aircraft and return it to England and the Isle of Wight from New Zealand.
Ivan has incorporated into his painting pilot Pauline Gower and her engineer Dorothy Spicer.

Dorothy Spicer and Pauline Gower with Spartan 3-seater G-ABKK. Copyright Michael Fahie.

Both women are forever associated with Spartan bi-planes, in which they made their names in the 1930s pioneering days of flying circuses. Dorothy trained in secret for one of her aircraft engineering licences at Saunders Roe, East Cowes, and Spartan Aircraft, Somerton Airfield, West Cowes. It was done in secret because women were prevented from gaining advanced qualifications at that time – preserved for men only.
Ivan’s original painting has been reproduced as a limited edition of 250. Each print is individually numbered and signed by the artist. Actual size of the print is 48 x 33 cm (19″ x 13″).
All profits from sale of the prints will go towards to fundraising campaign.
If anyone is interested in having one of these prints, please make enquiries here where you will be given details of how to obtain one.
Alternatively, visit Wight Aviation Museum website if you are not able to actually visit the museum yourself at Sandown Airport. 

Saunders Roe Princess Flying Boat G-ALUN model at Wight Aviation Museum, Sandown Airport.

See more of Ivan Berryman’s artwork on his own website, including other Isle of Wight historic aircraft, painted with the same level of accurate attention to detail. Browse and enjoy.     http://www.ivanberrymandirect.com/print_store.htm

 

Schneider Trophy 90 – British Supermarine 1931 Triumph

Ninety years ago, on the 13 September weekend, in the midst of the Great Depression, Ryde, Isle of Wight, played host to the BBC and aviation enthusiasts when the Jacques Schneider Seaplane Trophy Contest took place. The radio commentary was broadcast from the pier head, which was thronged with newspaper reporters and spectators. Hundreds more Islanders watched from the shore. Huge crowds gathered on the opposite mainland beaches.

In the Solent, at anchor, was the transatlantic White Star liner ‘Homeric’ which served as the Royal Aero Club official ship. Also aboard were members of Royal Aeronautical Society, Royal Air Force Club, Air League, Society of British Aircraft Constructors, and Association of Light Aeroplane Clubs. These spectators, desperate for some cheer at a time of national gloom, bought ‘special event’ passenger tickets for the weekend. Aboard ‘Homeric’ they enjoyed the contest in luxury, first the preliminary test flights and then the actual race, all the time waited on by stewards and served fine food and drink.

Yet all of it almost never happened. The 1931 event took place during one of the worst years of the Depression. The Labour Government declined to sponsor the British team in their Schneider endeavour, even though a win could have helped boost the nation’s aeroplane exports.

It was Lady Houston who stepped in to save the day. A keen supporter of British aviation, she provided some of her private wealth. Without her sponsorship the UK victory, still celebrated and remembered with pride decades later, would not have happened.

Thus the race went ahead and three nations competed – Great Britain, France and Italy. Sadly, to emphasize the dangers of float plane racing, all three nations each mourned the lost of a team pilot during test flights only weeks before the race. The British pilot who died was Jerry Brinton. Tragically, he crashed in the team’s sister plane.

There was great interest in this race in America. There the newspapers reported that the British pilots had undergone a rigid medical regime. “The medical research staff of the Air Ministry has been keeping an exceedingly close watch on the high-speed team. The flyers’ diet has been carefully worked out and for weeks they have denied themselves stimulants or tobacco.”

Britain’s entry, the Southampton based Supermarine SB6, had a design and engineering team led by R. J. Mitchell. He later designed Britain’s iconic Spitfire. Sqd. Ldr. A. H. Orlebar led the High Speed Flight team of pilots. On the contest day the pilot was Flt. Lt. J. N. Boothman.

The triangular course had a southern turning point off St. Helens, Isle of Wight. The western turning point was west of Ryde pier (Ryde Middle), and the 3rd point of the triangle was West Wittering, near Chichester. The race comprised seven laps, a total of 217 miles.

Spectators on the northern side of the Solent lined the Portsmouth, Southsea, Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent shorelines in Hampshire, also the West Wittering beaches in Sussex.  Isle of Wight ferries were halted mid-Solent for the duration and gave passengers an unexpected viewing.

1930s Ryde Paddle Steamer nearing Southsea

Boothman covered the 1st lap in 5 mins 26 secs, 343 mph. Reporters marvelled at his precision in turning at exactly the same point over Ryde pier for the next 4 laps.

The 6th lap brought even greater excitement to spectators. A reporter noticed, “the first serious deviation from the regularity with which Boothman had been crossing Ryde pier. This time he flew right over the top of the pier house. Timekeepers on its summit must have had a real close-up view of the bottoms of his floats. The whole pier, constructed to carry a double railway line and double tram line, seemed to vibrate to the sound waves emitted by the Rolls Royce engine.

On this lap the turn round Ryde Middle pylon was the tightest and best of all the turns during the whole race. The 7th and last lap started with a crossing of Ryde Pier inland of the pier house, for which the timekeepers were doubtless very thankful.”

Boothman circumvented Ryde Middle for the final time, straighten out and opened his throttle as he set his course for the pier, the finishing line. A great cheer went up when he crossed the line. Steamers sounded their sirens, hats were thrown up, deckchairs and hankies waved in the air at a British victory in the last ever Schneider contest. The honours fell to the man who had flown so well to win the trophy to keep for all time.

R.A.F. pilot Boothman, unknown to the public before the race, went down in history from 13 September 1931 as one of Britain’s great pilots.

The crowds were given more to cheer when team pilot Flt. Lt. G. H. Stainforth flew the SB6 to a world speed record with an average of 379 mph., and confirmed Britain’s supremacy. Third team pilot Flt. Off. L. S. Snaith thrilled onlookers with a stunt flying display in a Fairey Firefly.

Lady Houston, who had sponsored the High Speed Flight team, arrived in Cowes on the Isle of Wight that evening on her yacht ‘Liberty.’ At the Royal Yacht Squadron she met Sqd. Ldr. Orlebar and his team. Next day they joined her for a celebratory lunch aboard ‘Liberty.’

Mitchell, Stainforth, Boothman – their names are recorded in history books but Mitchell’s engineers, who contributed so much, remain nameless and unrecognised.

In tribute to these ‘invisibles’ the grandson of S6B engineer Reginald Darker has contributed this photo signed by the pilots. Reginald is in the water, far side of the plane.

Dorothy Spicer, Britain’s most qualified female aircraft engineer in the 1930s, described ground engineers as, ‘the ants of the engineering world who remain on the ground and while the pilots soar above.’ The pilots received all the glory, the engineers largely forgotten.

Supermarine SB6 Schneider Trophy winner 1931 aircraft. Image courtesy of Stephen Mosley

To celebrate the supreme design of SB6, aviation artist and engineer Stephen Mosley has shared with Solent Aviatrix this print of the superb artwork by Coulson (see above) and Stephen’s own photo of the seaplane. 

 

Wave Goodbye to the Poppies Wave

Poppies Wave at Fort Nelson Museum on Portsdown Hill, Portsmouth in June 2018. Image copyright Anne Grant.

June 24th is Midsummer’s Day. It is also the last day to see the ceramic Poppies installation called ‘Wave’ at Fort Nelson, Portsmouth. After this date it will be dismantled and taken to Manchester to the Imperial War Museum (North). There it will be reassembled for display until November 2018 – the close of the 1914-1918 First World War commemorations.

The Poppies Wave at the Royal Armouries Museum on Portsdown Hill has been very well attended since it opened in April.

Small part of the Poppies Wave installation at Fort Nelson. Image copyright Anne Grant.

Over 5,800 poppies comprise the display. The whole ‘Wave’ took eight days to recreate on the slopes of the old Palmerston fort. The ‘Wave’ has been saved for the nation by the Clore Duffield Foundation.

The other major installation called ‘Weeping Window’, which was also part of the magnificent Tower of London Poppies exhibition in 2014, has been purchased by a charity too.

Poppies forming shadows on the land. Image copyright Anne Grant

It will be donated to the nation by Lady Sainsbury of the Backstage Trust. This will go to the Imperial War Museum in London.  The poignancy of the poppies artwork was perfectly summed up by one young person who visited Fort Nelson.

In the Reflection Tent area she wrote a postcard to record her observations and feelings. Charlotte of Doncaster, aged 12 wrote: “Every poppy represents a man or woman who died during the war. It is saddening to know but fills you with pride that they were willing to give up their lives for their country, for our futures.”

Those men and women are now shadows on the land but never in the shadows of our memories.

Lest we forget. Image copyright Anne Grant.

One such man was Frederick William Attrill of the Isle of Wight. He was a sacrificial lamb on the alter of political stupidity.

It is hard to believe but true that one influential politician in 1914 refused to endorse compulsory vaccination of the troops against typhoid.

In his rarefied, sanitised bubble of a world, he insisted that all that was required to combat the disease was clean water and good hygiene.

He outshouted other common sense politicians who knew better than him.

Thousands of troops died of the illness until eventually the Army ‘top brass’ stepped in and overruled the politicians.

They began to inoculate the soldiers.

It was too late for Corporal Shoeing Smith Attrill. He had died some months earlier.

Rest in peace Great Uncle Fred.

 

Daedalus 100 Is Here

Beech Aircraft – Royal Navy Aircraft FT466 at Daedalus for D-Day 70. Copyright Anne Grant.

To celebrate 100 years of flying at Daedalus, Lee-on-the-Solent, a special one day event is taking place on Saturday 16 September between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

********************** News Update 13th September *********************

**********************  DAEDALUS 100 IS SOLD OUT  **********************

Daedalus, now renamed Solent Airport, will host a static display of vintage aircraft, put on by local flying associations. Other family activities will also be on site.

The airfield opened in 1917 during the First World War. It became an RNAS station. One of my ancestors was posted there for further training. He had gained promotion and was transferred from Eastchurch Airship Station, Norfolk to Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire. That transfer saved his life. A week later his former Airship C27 was shot down. All crew perished.

Airship C27 at RNAS Eastchurch. Crewman William Baker transferred to Daedalus, Lee-on-the-Solent a week before C27 was shot down in the North Sea.

One type of aircraft based at Daedalus for years was the Swordfish bi-plane. During the Second World War Daedalus played a major part in D-Day operations. On special commemoration days for the Fleet Air Arm, a Swordfish bi-plane flies up the Solent and across Daedalus in salute to the fallen.

Three years ago Lee-on-the-Solent hosted D-Day 70, which some war veterans attended. Aircraft which visited the airfield on that occasion included the Dakota.

1st Dakota lands at Daedalus Airfield on 2nd June 2014 at Lee Flying Association Hanger. Copyright Anne Grant.

Daedalus Officers Club House. Copyright Anne Grant.

Hidden away behind closed doors, which may be opened for the special Daedalus 100 day, are architectural gems within the former Officers Mess.

This lovely building is waiting for an enterprising restaurateur to step up to the challenge of refurbishing and re-opening an historical site which houses a piece of aviation heritage.  This building could become one of the classiest hotels cum restaurant on the Solent coast.

The Bar is a gem of opulent woodwork.  Equally impressive are the ornate fireplaces in every room.

Daedalus Fireplace and a 2nd fireplace in the room through the door. Copyright Anne Grant.

Daedulas Officer’s Mess Bar. Copyright Anne Grant.

Stained Glass windows and doors abound.

Daedalus Officers Mess Art Deco door glass. Copyright Anne Grant.

 

 

 

 

Follow this link to other Daedalus Gems.

Daedalus 100 is ticket only, purchased in advance of the day.

Follow this link to Fareham Borough Council for ticket information.

Also on at Daedalus over the same weekend is Hovershow 2017.

Gosport Personal Hovercraft, Copyright Anne Grant.

Daedalus is home to the only hovercraft museum in the world. Over 50 hovercraft, from small to large are on display, with some of the small private hovers out on the Solent on 16 September and 17 September. Separate rickets are needed for the Hovershow. It is not inclusive with the aircraft show.

Follow this link to the Hover Museum for full details.

Lovely Lee is the place to be this weekend.

Also taking place this weekend at the Square Tower, Old Portsmouth, Alison Hill will be reading from ‘Fifty Ways to Fly’ anthology on Sunday, 17 September 2017.

In October the Solent Aviation Art Society are holding their annual exhibition in Fareham. On from 23 to 28 October at Ferneham Hall, opening times are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, with late nights Thursday and Saturday until 10:00 pm. 

Go to the Notice Board for more contact details.

Stella Meets Her Spitfire

Little did I know when I started this website a few years ago how one thing would lead to another. A series of incremental steps led to wartime draughtswoman Stella Rutter having the opportunity to visit the Boultbee, which she knew was only a few miles from her home. As one of the founding members of the Spitfire Society, Stella has on occasions been to Spitfire events but not to Boultbee. So near yet so far.

My initial chance meeting with Stella was at The Spring, Havant, This year Stephen Mosley fulfilled Stella’s wish to visit Boultbee. Go to Stella’s page to read the start of her story.

Stella Rutter meets a Boultbee Spitfire, Goodwood 2017. Copyright Stephen Mosley

I will leave it to Sussex aviation engineer Stephen Mosley to relate how Stella met Boultbee. Thus he fulfilled her dream, all those years after D-Day. He has also provided the first positive identification of one of the signatures on Concord Morton’s painting of the Schneider Trophy winner. (G. W. Nicholas)

Stephen is writing here under his pen name of Actuarius. He is also an artist from the Futurist school of art, his idol being C. R. W. Nevinson.

Concorde painted by Stephen Mosley in ‘Futurist’ style

My thanks to Stephen for his contribution and his kindness to Stella. Anyone wanting to contact Stephen can do so via the Contact page.

Here then is his story of how the Past met the Present with a Futurist.

An Evening with Stella – By Actuarius.

The opportunities that come about in life are not always straightforward or predictable. Thus I started with an incomplete group of autographs, personally obtained over 20 years ago, and ended recently via a convoluted process with finally completing the set.

At the start of 2017 I made a couple of fairly rash investments through a well-known auction website, both being items related to the Schneider Trophy. This was an early 20^th Century air race that ended when Great Britain won it for a third time in succession, in 1931, and therefore got to keep the trophy forever. Having done the deed I thought I ought to research new purchases but both of them proved to be rather difficult to find information on.

Supermarine S6B Schneider Trophy Winner. Copyright Stephen Mosley

 Coincidentally, if anyone knows anything of 1929 commemorative “smoking stands” or the large model of the Supermarine S5 that was on display at Calshot up until the 21^st Century, then I would appreciate your getting in touch.

However, it was during this exercise that I stumbled across a painting of an S6 by Concord Morton on the Solent Aviatrix website run by Anne Grant. It was chiefly notable for having a number of signatures under the image. The working hypothesis is that these were probably Supermarine staff, possibly those who had an involvement with the actual aircraft. However there was nothing to back this up.

Supermarine S0595 Schneider Trophy winning aircraft painted by Concord Morton

The story now jumps back a couple of decades to 1997 and the presentation of a hand written book, listing the engineering staff at Supermarine who had worked on the Spitfire, to the Solent Sky museum in Southampton. My wife saw an article about it on the morning news and a rapidly arranged afternoon off ensured that I could attend. The staff at Solent Sky were very kind in allowing me to loiter for the price of a standard admission ticket whilst the purchase of a couple of copies of Chaz Bowyer’s “Spitfire” from their shop ensured I had something suitable to collect autographs in. It was an honour to meet the Supermarine staff present, and important to me that these largely unsung heroes and heroines should know the high regard they are held in. Aircrew and ground staff are rightly lauded by all but without the superlative aircraft the engineers provided their efforts would have been for nought.

Supermarine staff signatures collected by Stephen Mosley 1997

Back to the present day and this collection of signatures provided a handy reference for the painting. I contacted Anne to pass this on and it was during our conversation that she mentioned a member of Supermarine’s staff was still living nearby in Emsworth – and asked if I would like to meet her. Of course most of us would require no more than a moment’s thought before saying, “yes please!”

So it was that on 1 March 2017 I headed over and had a very pleasant evening chatting to Stella Rutter. As Stella Broughton she had become the first draughtswoman at Supermarine, transferring to their technical publications department from being a tracer at HMS Excellent on Whale Island in Portsmouth.

Stella told me how, when she joined, Supermarine’s design office was located in a hanger in the field at the back of Hursley Park House. The weekday commute was from digs near Winchester and then walking through the formal gardens. Weekends were spent back with her parents in Bedhampton near Portsmouth so Mondays were more trying with a cycle commute to a friend’s at the bottom of Portsdown Hill and then a walk up to the top for the bus. Week in, week out despite blackout regulations, snow or “tip and run” raids by the Luftwaffe – and repeated in the reverse direction every Friday. The dangers and corruption of the everyday under wartime conditions were brought home when she told me how, whilst at Bedhampton, a bomb had exploded just past the end of their garden and the night’s sleep would invariably be interrupted by the sound of mobile anti-aircraft guns being moved up and down the coast.

Stella Rutter in the Supermarine Drawing Office 1943

Her move to Supermarine came about due to her father meeting Gerald Gingall, the head of the Technical Publications Department, and suggesting her for a vacant position. She believes her success was down to having inherited a notable ability for drawing from her parents (her father being the Vice Principle of the College of Art in Portsmouth), and from having older brothers meaning she was unperturbed by working in an entirely male environment. In her opinion she gained a mutual respect with the rest of the staff because in attitude she was “as much a man as any of the others”. When other women joined the staff later she found she had to be careful of her approach and activities because she “didn’t wish to end up being ostracised or the subject of malicious gossip.” Such considerations may seem almost unbelievably unenlightened to our modern sensibilities but these were different, and difficult times.

Stella worked as part of a small team under Gingall, “ a very stocky man”, virtually exclusively on the Spitfire; and covered all aspects of the aircraft. Their area in the hanger was located next to the obscured “secret section” and because theirs was a small section, and possibly because Stella was something of a novelty, the frequent visitors tended to stop off for a word.

Thus Jeffrey Quill, chief test pilot and Joseph Smith, Mitchell’s successor, were known to her. She got on well with her boss and was even chosen to join him at home one evening to work overnight on a drawing that needed to be completed urgently.

I asked what it was like to work at Supermarine given the legacy of the S6, after all this was the catalyst for our meeting. She was sure that she’d worked with people who had been involved with the Schneider Trophy aircraft and this was part of what gave them a sense of being the “crème de la creme”.

Spitfire flypast. Copyright Stephen Mosley

“Let me put it this way”, she confided, “We were the company of the year.” There are further tales of pouring tea for Monty and being involved in a special party before D-Day, but that can wait for another time. As I was leaving she suddenly remembered how, when she was about 8 years old, she had climbed out onto the valley between the two pitches of the roof at her home to watch an aircraft fly up from the Southampton end of the Solent, turn and fly back. Conjecture I know, but the dates match so surely it is not beyond the realms of possibility that I was hearing the first hand account from a witness to that final Schneider Trophy win?

Today Stella is bright and articulate but has trouble accessing detailed memories, I suspect this being attributable to the ME she mentions in her excellent autobiography, “Tomorrow is D-Day.” There was so much I wanted to find out about her work and the people she knew but, frustratingly, a lot of these memories remained locked out of reach. Thankfully there is her autobiography, only written a few years ago, and enough still accessible to provide unique insights into her career and her life. Such considerations matter little though when you reflect on the singular honour of sitting and listening to these memories being related in person.

For some reason, although she was present, I’d missed the chance of getting Stella to sign my book in 1997 but her autograph now sits on the page surrounded by those of her colleagues – which is exactly how it should be.

As a postscript, Stella had mentioned how she knew of the Spitfires at the Boultbee Academy just down the road at Goodwood, but that she hadn’t had the chance to go and see them. Well, Boultbee are always keen to help reunite veterans with the aircraft, so a month and a half later my wife picked her up and we had a very pleasant hour in the hanger. Our sincere thanks to those who made this possible and who gave up their time for it.

Stella Rutter with ‘Actuarias’ and Boultbee Spitfire. Copyright Stephen Mosley

Painting of Schneider Trophy Winning Seaplane S1595 signed by Supermarine employees?

Supermarine S1595 Schneider Trophy winning aircraft painted by Concord Morton

Isle of Wight artist Concord Morton painted this representation of Supermarine Seaplane S1595. Here we can see the plane in colour, instead of all those black and white photos of the era. The aircraft won the Schneider Trophy outright in 13^th September 1931. This picture is held in a private collection, together with paintings by the same artist of Amy Johnson and Jim Mollison. It is shown here by permission of the owner.

Thirty-one men signed this S1595 painting but who are they? None of the signatures look like the well-known names associated with the aircraft, such as R. J. Mitchell or H. R. D. Waghorn. Could it be that Concord Morton asked the Supermarine engineers to add their names under the image? Why else collect these signatures?

Some of the signatures are readable, others not so easily deciphered. An attempt (with apologies for any errors) at identifying their names is listed below. Can anyone help to confirm these names or offer corrections? Are you a descendant of any of these men?  Did your grandfather sign this painting? Can you help to unravel the mystery of these names? Answers, in an email please, via the Contact page.

A close up of the signatures. attempts to identify the names are listed below the image.

Supermarine S1595 seaplane, Schneider Trophy winner. Painting by Concord Morton, circa 1931.
Original in private collection. Shown here courtesy of the owner.

Attempt at identifying the signatures:
A. or D. Hinson?
G. Blake?
G. H. Thomas?
R. B. Kirby? A. Skingely?
D. C. Floyd or Boyd?
D, Miller or Millar?
C. Lang?
W. Power or Powell?
H. C. B…..?
F. Maulding?
C. Burrows?
B. G. Theobald?
F. Walls?
L. Raffery?
H. English?
Brown Minors?
H or A. Morrell?
T or J. Mathesson?
R .D. Johns?
F. George Jackson?
L. W. Riches or Richards?
J. Simmons?
A. Parfoot?
B. Nicholls?
Ward?
R or B. Grice?
J. Baily?
I. W. G. Nicholls?
E. Smith?
G. B. Darken?

A 1932 painting of Amy Johnson resurfaces in the Solent area

A new memorial to pioneering aviatrix Amy Johnson has its unveiling ceremony on 17 September 2016 at Herne Bay. The statue, on Herne Bay promenade, is near to the site where Amy’s Airspeed Oxford ditched into the sea in January 1941.

To mark the memorial occasion a portrait of Amy Johnson, painted in 1932, has resurfaced in the Solent area.

A 1932 painting of Amy Johnson by Concord Morton. Exhibited at Bromhead Gallery, Cork Street, London in the 1930s. Shown on Solent Aviatrix by permission of the private owner.

This delightful colour sketch was shown in a public exhibition at Bromhead Gallery, Cork Street, London, sometime during the 1930s. Harold Watts Bromhead owned and ran the gallery. The exact exhibition date isn’t known but this advert indicates it must have been during the few years that Amy was married to another pioneering aviator, Jim Mollison. Whilst married she was willing to be known as Mrs. A. J. Mollison. After Amy divorced Jim she reverted to using her maiden name of Johnson.

The advert also states that a painting of Jim Mollison, by the same artist Concord Morton, was part of the exhibition. Both pictures are currently held in a private collection.

Advert for Amy Johnson painting by Concord Morton exhibited at Bromhead Gallery, Cork Street, London in the 1930s

Concord Morton was one half of a British art phenomenon – the Morton twins. Brother Cavendish was a celebrated artist. Concord is less well known because he died much younger. Both twins had work exhibited at the Royal Academy.

In 1930 they worked on a series of paintings in and around Portsmouth Dockyard, including HMS Victory and Sir Thomas Lipton’s Shamrock yacht, which competed for the America Cup. Concord worked for a while at Camper and Nicholson’s boatyard in Gosport.

Camper and Nicholson boatyard with J-Class Yacht Shamrock as depicted in Sand Art at Gosport Museum. Photo copyright Anne Grant.

The brothers also painted a full-length portrait of King George and Queen Elizabeth in 1937, in Coronation robes. It was huge at twelve feet by nine feet (4m x 3m).

The twins attended every air show they could get to, including Hendon. They sketched the aircraft of the day. Thus they produced an artist’s record of some of the iconic planes and pilots of the 1930s. These include famous names that have gone down in history as the aviation pioneers.

One such sketch is this study of wonderful Amy. Black and white, and sepia photos of her are plentiful. How many colour pictures are there of her? The subtle colours and quick, loose style capture the skin, eye and hair tones that black and white photography can never convey. Concord Morton’s sketch of Amy is a very good likeness. Compare it to this photo of her taken in 1934.

The photo was taken in Park Lane Hotel, London. Gladys Hermiston Hooper played piano in the hotel quintet. She was a friend of Amy. Gladys is seated at Amy’s feet. The photo is shown here by kind permission of Derek Hermiston Hooper.

Amy Johnson and Gladys Hermiston Hooper at Park Lane Hotel, London 1934. Photo courtesy of Derek Hermiston Hooper.

The sketch owner says, “Amy would almost certainly have sat for Morton whilst he painted the picture. That was how he worked, not from photographs.”

At the start of the Second War World the Morton twins worked for Saunders Roe, Cowes, Isle of Wight. Their draughtsmanship skills were put to good use, doing their bit for the war effort.

Perhaps now, with the re-emergence of some of Concord Morton’s work, he will receive the same contemporary level of recognition as his more famous brother.

My thanks to the owner of the Amy Johnson painting, for permission to publish it on Solent Aviatrix website. A special day indeed.

One person who’s had a preview of the paintings of Amy and Jim is Jane Priston, project manager for the Amy Johnson Herne Bay project. Jane is the driving force behind getting the bronze statue cast and erected. It has been a race against time for her.

Jane says, “These portraits are such an exciting find and so special. I particularly love the style and this rare glimpse of seeing Amy in colour, she was so fair!  One can’t help but wonder if there are other undiscovered paintings of Amy out there. The Island was clearly a very special place for Amy and I am interested to explore more about her time there.”

Isle of Wight resident Derek Hermiston Hooper, as a 4-year old, went for a joy-ride flight with Amy Johnson in her record-breaking bi-plane ‘Jason’. His mother Gladys frequently flew with Amy. Derek says, “On the eve of one of Amy’s long distance flights, she stayed with my parents.” He also knew Jim Mollison. Derek hopes one day to be able to visit Herne Bay to stand beside the statue of Amy Johnson. Until earlier this year when she passed away, Gladys held the record of being the oldest person in Britain. She died age 113. Derek, who has also heard about the Concord Morton sketch of Amy Johnson, is looking forward to seeing it for the first time.

Well, here it is Derek. The wait is over.

The painting of Jim Mollison will be published here soon. Anyone wanting to know more about the paintings should use the ContactContact page to send your questions.

Prince Michael of Kent has been invited to perform the unveiling of the Amy Johnson statue. Amy’s godson is expected to attend. To learn more follow this link to Amy Johnson Herne Bay Project.