I think it is no longer a secret that the next Dixie O’Day story involves cycling.
I’ve just looked through the artwork and totted up 97 different images of bicycles; some bigger, smaller and better than others, but as they are universally acknowledged to be fiendishly tricky to draw I am quite proud of this achievement.

The muscular, amazonian cyclist pictured above is Beryl Boothroyd, an important new character in Dixie’s world.
I *might* have a bit of a crush on her.

She certainly isn’t an incarnation of Betty Boothroyd, although she too is marvellous.

She might be closer to Beryl Burton, champion cyclist of the 1960’s (known as the ‘Yorkshire housewife’ – what a horribly reductive way to describe such a star, or indeed anyone at all)…

 

 

How I love the scalloped trim on her sporty polo shirt!

But for my Beryl I needed to look no further for inspiration than Norman Rockwell’s glorious illustration of wartime cultural icon Rosie Riveter.

 

 

For me she has loads more insouciant charm than the more familiar ‘we can do it’ Rosie…

 

 

What do you think – who are your favourite iconic strong women?