Four new monochrome views from the British Empire Exhibition in Wembley. All postcards, unused. The last one, HRH Prince of Wales representation in ‘Butter’ is fascinating. I assume the enclosure was temperature controlled! The following article states ‘in 1924, the Canadians used a large refrigerated case in their Pavilion to display a life-sized sculpture in butter’. Link produced by Brent Council, provides information on the exhibition and other ‘Butter’ sculptures.
A few more photogrphic post cards have been added this year so far. The first selection represent some aspect of Travelling Menageries and Circuses.
The Alphonso family were well known aerialists. A notable speciality act was having three cyclists balancing above the lion’s den on narrow cycleways. whilst below the trainer would put the lions through several tricks. The date is probably 1904 when they were at Madison Square Gardens in New York.
A rather puzzling Carte de Visite by W L Shrubsole, date unknown. Bsed at 5 Davey Place and at Victoria staion in Norwich. William Lewis Shrubsole, 82 Chapelfield Road, Norwich and was known to be photographing between 1890 – 1910. Little is known of his landscape art.
Is though, this an image of the elusive ‘Mrs Wombwell (Ann Morgan)? Norwich has connections to the Menageire, via the wife of E H Bostock, who was from Norwich.
A scarce postcard representing the Tower Circus ring at Blackpool in England. A full description of Frank Matcham’s interiors can be found on the NFA website.
A popular colour postcard of the lion cages at Blackpool Circus and Zoo. Date unknown, poor quality reproduction.
Recent addition to the collection is this 1929 programme for the annual Nottingham Goose Fair, still taking place in the centre of the city. It includes the layout of the fair and it strikes me that B&W are still the biggest attaction, with their pitch taking up a considerable section of the square. This was one of the last fairs that B&W attended before their demise in the early thirties.
