Jean Gardner Batten; Edgar Wikner Percival

1 portrait by Universal Pictorial Press and Agency Ltd

© UPPA / Avalon

 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Make a donation

Jean Gardner Batten; Edgar Wikner Percival

by Universal Pictorial Press and Agency Ltd
bromide press print, 31 October 1978
8 in. x 10 in. (202 mm x 253 mm) image size
Transferred from Evening Standard Library, before 1983
Photographs Collection
NPG x184191

Sittersback to top

Artistback to top

Placesback to top

Subject/Themeback to top

Events of 1978back to top

Current affairs

The country is brought to a virtual standstill as workers in the private and public sector strike over the government's decision to restrict wage increases. As more workers joined the strikes rubbish piled up in the streets, petrol stations ran short, and storage space had to be hired for unburied coffins. The period became known as the 'winter of discontent'.

Art and science

Louise Brown from Oldham in Greater Manchester becomes the world's first 'test-tube baby'. The 'in vitro' fertilisation procedure was a scientific breakthrough that has given thousands of infertile couples the opportunity to conceive.
Iris Murdoch wins the Booker prize with her novel. The Sea, the Sea.

International

Karol Józef Wojtyla becomes Pope John Paul II. He was the only Polish Pope and the first non-Italian Pontiff since the 16th century. During his 26-year pontificate, John Paul was recognised for his efforts to reach out to other religions and his fight against poverty and oppression. He has also, however, been criticised for his conservative attitudes towards divorce, contraception, homosexual marriage and the ordination of women priests.

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

Desmond Markus

12 April 2019, 11:06

This photograph appears to have been used in The Times (Wednesday, 1 November 1978, p5, issue 60447) and features a presentation at a ceremony of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators the previous day when she was made a liveryman of the Guild, and given the Freedom of the City of London earlier that day by the Chamberlain of London, Mr John Griggs.

The painting appears to have been used as the cover image for her autobiography Alone in the Sky (a slightly amended version of her original 1934 book, My Life), which was released by Airlife the following year, the dust jacket credits it as the work of Lynn Williams (drawings in the book are credited to L R Williams - probably the same person).

The subject of the painting is the Percival Gull 6, G-ADPR, designed by Captain Edgar Percival, in which she made most of her record breaking flights. The original aircraft is preserved - suspended from the roof in the Jean Batten International Terminal of Auckland Airport, New Zealand.


Honours for Jean Batten - Flight International 11/11/1978 p1725
https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1978/1978%20-%202799.html

Miss Jean Batten, with the Chamberlain of London, Mr John Griggs
https://www.flightglobalimages.com/women-aviation/miss-jean-batten-5913973.html