My Great Grandfather William Hamilton Hope (WHHope) was an illustrator and this is an original piece he did many years ago that was handed down to me from my father. I did some research on the phrase "Standing the Gaff" and found this referring to the
William Davis Historical Marker:
"The phrase, “Standing the Gaff,” is a direct reference to the early days of the 1925 strike, when Besco vice- president J.E. McLurg taunted the striking miners in an interview, declaring “Let them stay out two months or six months, it matters not; eventually they will have to come to us . . . . They can’t stand the gaff.” [2] McLurg’s intention was to indicate that Besco would make life so difficult for the striking workers that they would be unable to remain on strike. In positioning this phrase at the centre of the Davis monument, its creators indicate that the memory of William Davis now exists as a symbol of labour solidarity and working-class struggle. The phrase indicates that current workers must “stand the gaff” and refers to how one of their own, William Davis, paid the ultimate price for doing that."
I don't know if the artwork was ever used, but it is due to be framed and will hang proudly in our home.