Twitter Ye Not - Amy Johnson

Twitter Ye Not - Amy Johnson

A regular piece for a certain national newspaper about how figures in history might have twittered or tweeted or whatever, had they the chance, inclination and technology.

In May 1936, aviatrice Amy Johnson landed at Croydon Airport in G-ADZO, a Percival Gull Six, at the end of a record-breaking four day, 16 hour solo flight from South Africa. Aviation archivists have now released the Twitter feed of that weekend.

I have shown Ms Johnson (at the time Mrs Jim Mollison) on the podium at Croydon, a prize trophy on the ground beside her. Croydon means Valley of the Crocuses, so I have shown one of those minute flowers blooming unseasonably late at the podium's base.

On the other side of image stands thrice-married Wallis Simpson (lover, then wife of Edward VIII, and subsequently the exiled Duchess of Windsor). Anachronistically she is here wearing the garish flamingo broach made by Cartier and bought for her by Edward in 1940! Wallis, a friend and admirer of Adolf Hitler, looks on at Yorkshire lass Amy with distain and surprise.

Behind her stands Amy Johnson's biplane and between the two ladies is a 1930s cocktail table with Champagne and glasses upon it.

Tragically Amy Johnson died in January 1941, aged just 37. Flying in adverse weather conditions and out of fuel Amy was forced to bale out over the Thames estuary, where she, and her would-be rescuer Walter Fletcher, both drowned. Her body was never recovered.

Click on the Image to see it in more detail!