Ms. Edwina Dilley - Fox in the hen house
In 1878, in a modest straw nest deep in the heart of the English Lake District, a small round shell was fractured from within and out popped Ms. Edwina Dilley. She was a plucky little golden chicken. Announcing her arrival to the world with a loud peep, she hopped forward and began her tumble through life.
From her early years, Edwina Dilley displayed a tenacity considered quite militant at the time. She fearlessly became the first suffragette in her small town, even enduring three days of confinement by the local constabulary for disrupting a men-only council meeting. She immediately began a hunger strike in protest. Her release was only possible due to a mysterious benefactor who paid her fine and appealed to the judge for leniency, a testament to her unwavering spirit.
Later, Edwina Dilley became involved in another court case. This time, she was the plaintiff. Edwina sued a local landowner because of the disruption brought to the idyllic countryside by his large industrial farming machines. Alister Archibald-Collins, the 12th Earl of Butterwick, was the landowner in question. He was a fox, literally. He owned most of the local land but, by all accounts, was a decent chap. This battle went on for almost a year. Feathers were ruffled, and fur flew. But then, one day, Edwina had a shocking surprise. During the court case, it was revealed via court documents that the anonymous benefactor who helped gain her freedom all those years ago was, in fact, Alister Archibald-Collins.
He did it out of a sense of outrage that the English court system was treating her so poorly at the time. He was a progressive who quietly but actively campaigned for chickens' and all other female animals' claims for equality.
When Edwina discovered that her anonymous benefactor was none other than Alister Archibald-Collins, her perception of him underwent a dramatic shift. Despite the disapproval of the other hens, she extended an invitation for tea. This unexpected turn of events piqued the curiosity of all who heard the tale.
He obliged, and a new friendship was born—so much so that Edwina even attended his upcoming wedding.
Read Alister Archibald-Collins biography,
HERE
Available as:
Fine art paper print (matte) . 8.5" x 11" (signed) $30.00
Fine art paper print (matte) . 11" x 13.5" (signed) $49.00
Original: Graphite and charcoal on paper. 12" x 15" (image size) with frame and matte. Total size: 16" x 18" - $1650.00 Watermark will not be printed on image
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