Our February newsletter brings you a rare collection of Victorian photographs from all over the world housed in a collection at the Bexley Heritage Trust, plus the persuasive power of First World War recruitment posters, and the glamour of early 20th century London.

Illuminated world

It's not often that we get the opportunity to represent such a remarkable, local archive as that of the Boswell Collection at Bexley Heritage Trust. Arthur Boswell (1880 - 1966) was a prolific collector of Victorian glass lantern slides, accumulating some 14,000 images in his lifetime on such diverse themes as churches, bee-keeping, music hall songs, Spanish bull-fighting, castles, Indian markets and Norwegian weddings. His own photographs were mainly concerned with the social history of the Bexley area, depicting agriculture, local industry, houses and people, and form a nice contrast with what to the Victorians would have been mysteriously exotic places around the world.

A lantern slide series called 'Bygones' offers a particularly interesting glimpse into a vanished Victorian world of accordian players, organ grinders with monkeys, bathing huts and phonographs.

For an overview of some of these wonderful scenes, click here.

You may be the one

As the anniversary of the beginning of the First World War looms ever nearer, we're this month swelling our ranks of images with a colourful collection of British recruiting and war loan posters from Onslows Auctions who we have represented since 2007.

Parliament's recruitment drive of 1914 and 1915 produced hundreds of poster designs aimed at encouraging men of military age to join up through a combination of appeals to patriotism and duty as well as by invoking shame and fear. A particular sense of Welsh pride and identity was targeted by a series of Welsh language posters some of which spurred potential recruits to act before they were conscripted under the Military Service Act which came into force on 2nd March 1916.

Click here for a stirring selection.

Months of the year

Scent and Scandal

On Saturday 22nd March, Mary Evans Picture Library is teaming up with Odette Toilette, purveyor of olfactory adventures, at Brasserie Zedel’s Crazy Coqs cabaret theatre for an afternoon of scents and stories inspired by the nightlife scene of early 20th century London. Accompanied by afternoon tea and fizz, guests will be entertained by tales of some of high society’s most celebrated and notorious characters and introduced to fragrances that once wafted around the capital’s fashionable clubs, restaurants and parties.

Drawing on images and archive material from the library’s extensive collection, together with historic fragrances specially selected by Odette, the event promises to conjure up the sights and smells of London’s glamorous past.

Join speakers Odette, who has hosted fragrance experiences since 2010, and Luci Gosling from Mary Evans Picture Library on a journey through nightclubs such as The Embassy and The Monseigneur and find out what life was like for a debutante in the 1930s. Enjoy the delicious scandal surrounding the lives of women such as Margaret Whigham (later the notorious Duchess of Argyll) and Idina Wallace of White Mischief fame, and discover why Maidenhead was smart society’s favourite out-of-town destination, not least for its outdoor dance floor.

Situated close to Piccadilly Circus, The Crazy Coqs’ art deco-inspired cabaret lounge makes an evocative setting for this decadent afternoon. Each ticket includes afternoon tea and a glass of fizz, and guests will be given a goodie bag to take away.

Saturday 22 March 2014, 2 – 4.30pm
The Crazy Coqs Cabaret & Jazz Club, Brasserie Zedel,
20 Sherwood St, London W1F 7ED
Tickets £45.00 from www.odettetoilette.com

Let us know what you think

We welcome your feedback about this newsletter or any aspect of the Mary Evans Picture Library. Please write to us at pictures@maryevans.com. If you'd rather be unsubscribed from our mailing list, please click here.

Best wishes,

Mary Evans Picture Library