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Nottingham Goose Fair 1929

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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.

New Items: 12 views of the British Empire Exhibition 1924

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The following souvenir set of cards show some of the many scenes from the 1924 British Empire Exhibition. Containing 12 cards in all the set is complete with original envelope.

Series C Souvenier Envelope – front
View of the Exhibition area showing Wembley Stadium at top right, on the edge of the exhibition space.
Wembley Stadium Terrace, 1924
View of the Gardens at the Northern entrance of the site
East Africa Building
Canadian Pavillion
Courtyard, Indian Pavillion
Indian Pavillion
Malaya Pavillion
Palace of Engineering
Nigeria Building

New items added to the Collection – April 2019

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  • Japan-British Exhibition 1910 – Wiggle Woggle Entertainment. Probably a forerunner of the Walzter Ride
  • Photograph, used in the Baltimore Sun, 1960. Shows a view of Bostock’s Zoo.

Bostock’s Zoo, was thought to be located in Baltimore, USA. It was owned by Frank Bostock. This image, although a representation, shows a wealth of wild animals and performers/handlers. Needs more research. There are photographs of it after a fire completely destroyed it during 1901.

  • Elephant in procession, unknown location. Small, mono photograph, highly faded. Circa 1925
  • Fascinating Early Cenetaph Remembrance Ceremony, London, UK

Cenetaph Remembrance Ceremonies started in the early 1920s and there is extensive research on its origins.

This view, from ‘Flip-Flap’, shows the extent of the exhibition and the reuse of earlier exhibtion buildings. ‘Flip-Flap’ was a cross between a Ferris Wheel and Tower (x2) The name tells its own story, but is not to be confused with a USA ride of the same name.

Items added to the Collection

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The following were recently digitised for the online collection:

Ellison’s Entertainers needs research. States ‘also at Ramsgate, Margate and Aberstwyth’. Known to have been at Brighton, so assume this is Brighton. Overwritten 1920
Popular pastime to dress up for a portrait. Note ‘NPG’ 2003 sign. Modern card only. Probably USA.
Broncho Bill’s Elephants – Salt and Saucy: needs research. Performer not yet known as this entertainment lasted many years from late 19th C to mid 20th C. Identification of performer will date the card(s)
  • Hagenbach’s Ceylon Village and India Arena. Exactly what is happening not yet researched.

Another of Broncho Bill’s Salt and Saucy
  • Royal Hungarian Midgets (not my description) Place and Date to be researched.
  • A Ball & Sons New Lyceum Booth. An early Bioscope run by Alf Ball. Details at NFA.

See https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/nfca/researchandarticles/alfball

  • Entitled ‘Midget Entertainer’,unproven. Name unknown, circa 1900

Franco-British Exhibition, 1908 Fine Arts Palace. ‘a Fine Art Palace (with paintings by Hogarth, Gainsborough, Corot, Courbet…’ https://www.alliancefrancaise.london/1908-Franco-British-Exhibition.php

  • Royal Pavillion, Contents unknown Franco-British Exhibition 1908
  • South Front, Palace of Women, franco-British Exhibition 1908 (celebrating famous figures from Elizabeth I to Florence Nightingale) See https://www.alliancefrancaise.london/1908-Franco-British-Exhibition.php