cartoonist, always signed his work “Lock”. He contributed many gag cartoons to the Bulletin from c.1936/37 until the end of WWII. His Prendergast of the Silent Service , a collection of wartime navy cartoons mostly from the Bulletin , was published in February 1941 by Frank Johnson Publications, Sydney. Joan Kerr owned the 2nd – July – edition. It includes an Aboriginal elder with a gigantic bone on board a wartime naval ship and the captain is saying: “Think what this means to the Empire, Prendergast! He’s going to point the bone at Hitler” ; (captain painting a nude, with easel set up on deck) “Every man should have a hobby, Prendergast” ; (Mrs Predergast taking over the ship) “She says Prendy’s sick and she’ll run things while he’s away!” 1940; (soldier fleeing from a female medical officer’s hut) “I’m not saying 'ah’ for any woman!” 1940; (sergeant drilling female officers) “Left! Right! Left! – pick up y’r dressing!” 1941; “Keep movin’, Lofty – we got 'im blinded with science!” 1941; (two bulky female officers) “So long, shipmate” 1942; (vicar mistakenly addressing the woman because the couple are 'cross-dressed’) “And do you, Angus, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?” 1945.
Bulletin originals in ML include: “Yes, a skull and cross bones to cover that unsightly vaccination mark” 1945 – a female sailor getting a tattoo (Px*D444/63). Cf “Now we’re in the navy we must go the whole hog” 30 April 1941, 11 (another woman employed likewise, but her whole body is being covered above her strapless vest) (Px*D68, vol.10), and (society lady inspecting a sailor’s tattoos at evening party) “Why, they’re magnificent, Mr. Barnacle. Do show us some more!” Bulletin , 9 October 1940, 11 (reprinted in Lock anthology) – another version, a watercolour original in the Frank Johnson Papers (ML Px*D68, vol.10), is dated 22/10/43. There are lots of Lock gags about gender reversal including the ML original (customs officer and androgynous seaplane passenger), “Psst! Joe, is this a job for ME or the female searcher?” [1940s] (Px*D69/1191).
At least two N. M. Sherlocks are recorded in New South Wales at the time: Neil Martin Sherlock (1904-1952) and Nea Myee Sherlock (1893-1966).
- Writers:
- Kerr, Joan
- Date written:
- 1996
- Last updated:
- 2007
