c hristm n a i r o a t Edition c s i v
1
y r lo
G
2
rl i G
And it seems this Victorian thing is catching too – researching this issue has rekindled my teenage desire to be a Victorian goth... So, when we decided to do a special Victorian issue of Glory Days, we knew we would raise eyebrows amongst the vintage world (surely it's stretching most people's definition of 'vintage') but being devilmay-care types, we decided to go for it anyway. Glory Days' resident Man About Town Carlos de Treend has always had an idiosyncratic Victorian bent, so when the time came to organise our Victoriana fashion shoot, we had his number on speed dial. One dreary Sunday in August, the Glory Days fashion team stuffed seven people and a huge Victorian wardrobe into two cars and headed to Fossick– a gem of a store housed in the old freezer room of a Matakana dairy factory and shot one of the most enjoyable fashion spreads we've done to date.
Presenting our:
Victorian Christmas issue
It probably won't surprise you to hear we're an eclectic bunch at Glory Days HQ. Even between us editors, our tastes range from deco decadence right through to the swinging sixties. However, we also spent months addicted to Downton Abbey and were glued to the recent TV series Mr Selfridge. Claire is a 1930s fiend, Rose loves the elegance and grace of the 1940s, while I'm strictly a mid century girl at heart. But Claire has also been known to win a Solid Gold Sound System dancing contest with her killer eighties style moves. And Rose recently donned full Victorian regalia and spent a Saturday evening, along with fellow Glory Days designer, Nat and Glory Days models Tamsin and Luke at Alberton House's 150th anniversary ball. At the time of writing, both of my co-eds were busily sorting their bustles and petticoats in preparation for a weekend of Victorian immersion in Oamaru.
The inspiration came from Victorian sweetheart postcards, Walter Potter's anthropomorphic taxidermy, a love story between two young newlyweds and a bit of daguerreotype mourning photography for good measure. The results were captured beautifully in black and white by Carlos De Treend and hand coloured to replicate the feel of old Victorian portraiture. This issue is also our last before the festive season kicks off so we've packed it full of vintage yuletide cheer. Kitchen whiz Debbie Hodder cooks up a Victorian Christmas feast, Sarah Lancaster shows us how to make homemade christmas crackers with a vintage twist and parenting columnist Malayka Yoseph reflects on Christmases past. To everyone who generously donated to our recent 'Pay What You Want' appeal, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and hope that soon we will be able to fund our christmas wish of printing Glory Days, so you can all hold a beautiful copy in your hands! We'd also like to take this opportunity to wish all our wonderful readers a very special festive season. Thank you for your support over the past year, and here's to a magical and vintage-filled 2014. Best wishes,
e h t & a h s a t Na . m a e t s y a D Glory 3
THE TEAM: Editors/publishers: Rose Jackson, Natasha Franรงois, Claire Gormly- editors@glorydaysmagazine.com
Sub Editor: Miriam Sharland Contributors: Andy Millar, Carlos De Treend, Claire Gormly, Clarissa Dunn, Debbie Hodder, Edward Bennett, Frances Gore, Grace La Belle, Lady Helen Steampunk, Luke de Large, Leimomi Oakes, Malayka Yoseph, Mandy Neugebauer, Mark Roulston, Melanie Freeman, Natasha Francois, Rose Jackson, Sarah Lancaster, Tina Turntables, Von Vonski.
Photographers: Carlos de Treend, Claire Gormly, Little Death Photography, Nathalie Gregory, Rose Jackson, Talia Stephens, Melissa West.
Art Director:Stephen Templer Designer: Nathalie Gregory Design Assistant: Samara Pepperell Publicity & Events: Natasha Francois, Rose Jackson Advertising & Event Listings: Claire Gormly advertising@glorydaysmagazine.com
Published by glory days publishing ltd. ISSN 2324-3368 The opinions expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers, but we like to encourage different opinions, healthy debate and a variety of ideas at Glory Days. The content and design of this publication is the copyright of Glory Days Publishing Ltd and therefore may not be reproduced in part or whole without permission of the publishers. Having said that, we do love to share so just drop us a line if you would like to feature anything from within the pages of this magazine. Anyone providing material for Glory Days must ensure they acquire permission if necessary before submission. We make every effort to trace copyright holders, but apologise if we make any transgressions. Do get in touch if you feel that your work has not been properly acknowledged and we will right any wrongs. The editors would like to thank: All our contributors and designers for their time, skill and knowledge, Queen Victoria for providing such a rich era to mine stories for, all the vintage lovers out there, Fossick for the perfect spot for a photoshoot and the K Rd Business Association for their wonderful support.
4
CONTENTS
Fashion Features Page 25: Mourning Glory Queen Victoria was an unlikely fashion icon who triggered a craze for mourning jewellery, writes Natasha Francois Page 28: The League of Inventive Gentlemen Rose Jackson interviews three quirky modern day inventors who look to the past for inspiration. Page 34: The Empire Strikes Back Step back to the future at Howick’s unique living history museum. Page 36: Post-Apocalypse Now Lady Helen Steampunk introduces the retrofuturistic world of Steampunk. Page 38: Lights, Domain, Action! Historian Edward Bennett revists the heady days of the 1913 Auckland Exhibition. Page 66: From the Footlights: Hello Sailor! During it’s 102-year history, Eltham’s town hall has hosted everything from boxing matches to balls. Clarissa Dunn investigates.
Page 14: Where Thou Art, That is Home Fashion for Victorian lovers. Page 56: People Watching The Little Death team attend Vintageorama. Page: 64: Fully Fashioned: Laced In Contrary to popular opinion, corsets were neither torture devices or miraculous waist-shrinking contraptions, says Leimomi Oakes. Page 58: Other Peoples’ Wardrobes A new column which offers a rare glimpse into the wardrobes of diehard vintage collectors. This issue, Rose Jackson rifles through the closets of fashion historian, Leimomi Oakes. Page 62: The Beauty Spot: The Painted Lady Powder and paint have been our greatest asset, our biggest secret, and our deadliest poison, writes Claire Gormly. Page 2: Glory Girl Meet time travelling temptress Ms Leggy Luna Lucy Page 93: Back Page Pinup: She’s a Mod Introducing MissWillow Noir.
lifestyle The Gentlemen’s Club: Brought to you by Lambretta Page 41: On Your Bike Goetz Neugebauer compares scooter journeys past and present. Page 44: The Dapper Gent: Parting is Such Sweet
Sorrow.
A bittersweet Victorian Christmas tale by Carlos de Treend. 5
Page 47: The Rockabilly Rant Andy Millar shares a few of his favourite things. Page 48: Sleeping Inn A new column where Claire Gormly delves into the history of classic New Zealand pubs. This issue, she stays at Eketahuna’s Commerical Hotel. Page 50: Hopped Up: Out of the Ordinary Rose Jackson wheels around with Oamaru-based penny farthing enthusiast David Wilson. Page 81: Here’s Looking at You, Kid A Very (un)Victorian Christmas, by Malayka Yoseph. Page 82: Make Do and Mend: It’s A Snap! Sarah Lancaster shows us how to make Christmas crackers with a vintage twist. Page 84: What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’? Plum puddings, mincemeat pies and a not-sotraditional turkey roast, Debbie Hooder cooks up a storm – Victorian style.
lifestyle
every issue Page 3: Editor’s letter Welcome to our Victorian/ Christmas issue. Page 8: Meet the Contributors The talented people behind your favourite vintage magazine.
Page 52: This Vintage Town: Oamaru Oamaru is an outstanding example of living history in New Zealand, and possibly the world, says Rose Jackson.
Page 9: Speak Easy Your feedback from Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere.
Page 70: Tune Time with Tina Turntables. Introducing our new music critic Tina Turntables, as she covers some Christmas tunes.
Page 10: The Scoop All the news, hot off the wire; event reports, recommendations and reviews.
Page 72: High Fidelity Mandy Neugebauer wades into Swampland.
Page 88: Present Feature: the Twelve Days of Christmas Vintage Gift Guide making festive shopping a cinch!
Page 74: Cinema Scope: Miracle on 34th Street It might be famous for its wholesome representation of Christmas, but beneath its festive wrapping lies a study in social instability and modern anxiety, says Mark Roulston. Page 76: Net Worth Melanie Freeman chats to blogger, Etsy retailer and online publisher, Brittany from Va Voom Vintage. Page: 79: The Burlycue Review Grace La Belle caught up with burlesque ex-pat Eva Strangelove to find out how’s she’s faring after a brush with a deadly illness. 6
Page 90: Hot Dates Mark these in your diaries now!
7
Image credit: Pretty Pictures
Grace La Belle Burleycue Review columnist I’m a Wellington ‘burlesquologist’ (burlesque dancer and dance teacher) at Miss la Belle’s House of Burlesque. I enjoy having a giggle in class while I teach lasses to dance and enjoy their feminity. If you’d told me four years ago that I’d be getting nude in public, I’d have said you were crazy. But in 2009 I started doing just that and went on to run my own burlesque business. My love of burlesque stems from a desire to share my self-belief and inspire other women who may feel they don’t fit the mainstream media’s beauty ideal. I love my job. Every week I get to meet women of all ages and sizes who are looking for a boost in their confidence, and I help them find it. Through my classes, they find friendship and support, and most of all – acceptance and encouragement. Lose a pastie!
Nathalie Gregory Graphic Designer Thanks to my parents’ interest in all things from the past, my progression into vintage has been an organic one. My mum collects ephemera relating to handiwork, needlecraft and fashion (a flow-on effect from having a tailor as a father), and my dad has always been ardently into mid-century music and clothing. After high school, where I was one of the ‘weird arty kids’, I completed a Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design, with minors in illustration and photography. In my final year of this degree I discovered a passion for print design - no doubt my exposure to hundreds of vintage publications had something to do with it. Growing up in the environment I did, along with my natural tendency towards creative pursuits, means my influences come from a huge range of vintage sources. Although I’m essentially a child of the 90s, I love looking back through the 20th century for inspiration, and my role as graphic designer for Glory Days couldn’t be more of a dream job! 8
Image credit: Emma Smales
From facebook: Absolutely astounding mag. And I have sent link to like minded friends. I picked up a business card in a shop in ChCh -” Madame Butterfly “ So glad I did. And hand is hovering over donation button. Keep up the funtabulous work! Tina Landl
FROM Twitter: Noelle McCarthy, @noellevivien @glorydaysmag Hi Glory Days! Thank you for your lovely email..kept meaning to reply-hope a tweet will suffice..love your work!
This new e-magazine Glory Days is so cool! Something for practically everyone I know - and it’s free online! Rose Gawn
FranticAboutFrances, @franticafrances @glorydaysmag Its brilliant, great content, fab images & truly well researched articles. Can’t recommend it enough to all my friends! Xxx
Would definitely love to see your mag in hard copy eventually. It looks fantastic! I think you could also find a crossover market here in Oz. Kitty Von Tastique
Mark Roulston, @tinribs27 ICYMI: Issue 3 of @glorydaysmag is available now, and includes my look back at REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE. Get on it http://www.glorydaysmagazine.com
Hey Team, just wanted to say that I loved this month’s issue. Andy’s piece really stood out for me - although I’m younger it transported me back to childhood jiving around in the lounge with my dad who would sing ‘Caledonia’ to me (and I suppose cementing my love of the classics early!). Natasha’s ‘Youth Gone Wild’ was also a great read, it was great to have 50s youth culture brought into a New Zealand context for the reader rather than focusing on American or British situations. Brilliant work! Penny Pins
Aaron D, @Belakor Looks like the latest issue of @glorydaysmag is out with some photos from a shoot we did not so long ago (page 11) http://issuu.com/glorydaysmagazine/ docs/glorydays3final/3?e=6494441%2F4141359 …
Woohoo! The next issue of Glory Days Magazine is out! Get a hold of it champs! Also, we’re featured in the “events” section for Dark Horse Cabaret! Va-Va Voom
Jessica Honey, @RubyVonRifle Loving the latest @glorydaysmag issue! And once again I’ve managed to sneak my face in there :P FranticAboutFrances, @franticafrances The new issue of the fabulous @glorydaysmag is out! … One of the best vintage mags around
VIA EMAIL:
First look at your magazine on email, looks really I am so excited to have found this magazine! Thank interesting. Carry on the good work. Graham Borley you Glory Days magazine. Charlotte Cake Love your Magazine, just recently found it. Great reading! Thank you. Deborah Cutler Have finally read issue two, loving it. Well done on another excellent read! Love the variety. Michelle Parish Thanks for popping by, Bewitched returning the like from a vintage gal in the UK x Bewitched Vintage Clothing
We love to read your feedback! Please drop us a line at editors@glorydaysmagazine.com 9
An Eye For Vintage By Rose Jackson Keep your eyes peeled vintage lovers – Very Vintage TV is taking over your screens! The brainchild of Talia Stephens, renowned Miss T Pinups photographer and the organiser of Auckland’s annual Very Vintage Day Out,VVTV is a new YouTube channel dedicated to showcasing the vintage scene in New Zealand. VVTV features product reviews, events footage and interviews with key people in the vintage community. Because the Very Vintage Day Out is held only once a year, Talia says it’s a fantastic way to keep in touch with vintage fans between events. It’s also great way to provide year-round exposure for sponsors, performers and stall holders. Behind the ‘shaky cam’ is Miss T herself. An avid TV buff, who worked at a TV station for five years, Talia loves the YouTube phenomenon which gives everyday people the opportunity to reach millions of viewers.
10
Auckland pinup, Von Vonski, is the lead presenter. After watching her perform in this year’s Miss Pinup New Zealand competition, Miss T was so impressed she decided Von would be ideal in front of the camera. VVTV also features a revolving cast of guest presenters including Talia’s partner, Dave Williamson, burlesque performer Dolly DeStory and The Vanity Case’s Claire Gormly. Keep an eye out for exciting episodes including trips to the amazing Maloney’s Barber Shop and Swing Out Central Dance Studio. The VVTV team also visit Wellington with Claire Gormly, to catch up with Miss Pinup contestants Ria, Anna, and burlesque instructor Miss La Belle. Already featured are the “A Very Vintage High Tea” at the luxury boutique Hotel De Brett, the exclusive VVTV Launch Party, and a catch up with Miss Pinup New Zealand 2013, Honey L’Amour. Fun is also high on the agenda, says Talia. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we do have a great passion for the vintage community and want to see it grow. We also take a huge amount of satisfaction seeing the number of subscribers on our YouTube channel grow *wink wink*. Subscribe to our channel, we put out a new episode every Wednesday.” Check out Miss T Pinup’s work at www.misstpinups. co.nz or ‘like’ Miss T Pinups on Facebook. To watch VVTV, head to http://www.youtube.com/ TheVeryVintageDayOut. Add VVTV to your favourite channels to keep up with new episodes.
Let’s Go to the
HOP!
New Zealand’s sleepiest tourist town looked a little surprised by the 400 cars that roared, raced and limped in on the Friday night of the third annual Kaikoura Hop. Glory Days stayed in salubrious accommodation, along with the entire Christchurch HOG (Harley Owners Group) chapter who kept us up until 3am dancing and singing to the entire Creedence Clearwater back catalogue. To avoid a repeat performance, we rocked upstairs and joined them the following night. Held in the rugby grounds on Killarney Street, the Saturday car show was the main event of the weekend. Cars of every country and era were on display in unique South Island fashion, with vehicle owners propped up around their pride and joy; lounging on chairs, beers in hand, gumboots and jandals aplenty. The hop was organised entirely from Wellington by one man, Doug O’Callahan, who ran the event like clockwork; including organising the parking of 400 cars without incident.
The car competition was very laid back and there was mass confusion when prizes were announced, as the MC had neglected to find out what type of car belonged to which number. Spot prizes were innovative and included two free warrant of fitnesses from the local garage - I have never seen grown men run so fast! Several ladies dressed up to match their car (my pick was the gorgeous lady who matched her purple Monaro) but vintage dressing on the whole was not very prevailent. Luckily, vintage stallholders were on hand to right that wrong which was highly appreciated by the rock and roll fraternity present. There was live music throughout the weekend provided by a couple belting out Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty classics, and we were in charge of red lipstick application for the female half of said band. The Kaikoura Hop has lots of potential for the future. Doug is keen to promote the event outside of the car clubs and wants to add a bit of a rockabilly feel next year so watch this space and get it in your diaries now! 11
Burlesque Festival By Von Vonski The weekend of October 4th and 5th brought more shaking to our capital city; not from the periodic earthquakes that Wellington has experienced recently, but from the thunderous applause that followed a very successful New Zealand Burlesque Festival. Red Pascal Productions hosted their first NZBF, and the dynamic duo delivered on their promise of a spectacular event. MisRed and Danny Rascal wanted to put their mark on a festival that demands more international exposure; MisRed explains “We have such a unique performance style in New Zealand; it deserves to be shown to the world.” With the New Zealand burlesque scene in its relative infancy, Red Rascal Productions believes that by providing opportunities for inspiration, learning and networking with some of the world’s best, NZ performers will be able develop the scene that is already gaining attention internationally and grow it into an industry in its own right. Show stopping performers from around the country supported seven international headliners, all of whom are included in the 21st century’s Top 50 burlesque personalities! Ray Gunn from the Stage Door Johnnies stunned the audience with routines that were polished and perfected from over five years experience in burlesque alone. He had nothing but praise for the local scene and was excited about the opportunities New Zealand had for a thriving burlesque industry, 12
“because the scene is still small it creates a community that can voice and hear the things that need to change.” Ray loved interacting with the audience and was excited to see the “a-ha” moments from performers backstage who soaked in the knowledge the international performers could pass on. Alongside the tantalizing stage shows, the NZBF extended the opportunity for the curious and experienced to take part in workshops that ranged from basic burlesque technique, to performance master classes run by the local and international acts. These workshops were highly successful with most selling out and those who attended came away inspired. Little Miss Broadway took what she learnt and realises “there is a long way to go to get to international standards”, but has been suitably inspired to start working towards attending the Burlesque Hall of Fame. The weekend culminated on Saturday evening with performances and the crowning of New Zealand’s King and Queen of Burlesque, Mo’Cachino and Ruby Ruin respectively. Ruby Ruin also won the coveted, inaugural Burlesque Exchange Scholarship; she will travel to St Louis, Missouri for mentoring and automatic entry into the epic Show Me Burlesque Festival! The Golden Garters recognised local contributions to the industry with categories ranging from the hotly contested Best Boobs and Best Derriere, to Favourite Costume and Favourite Routine. www.nzburlesquefestival.co.nz
Fête Accompli
By Frances Gore (Mintage NZ) The sense of relief from stallholders was palpable waking up on Sunday, 1st September. Yes, that was sunshine outside and the day promised more! Treasures were tenderly packed into cars and young cupcake beauties were carefully dressed and aproned, armed with large quantities of delicious fundraising food to sell for the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation. Thanks to the stalwart efforts of Swing Out Central and the other vendors, everything was ready for lift-off at 1pm. For the many that graced A Fine Vintage Fete with their presence, there truly was some very fine vintage on offer. The sighs coming from the corner room were not just for the suave moves of those dashing swing dancers, (who incidentally were fabulous – who knew cardio could look so elegant?) but also for the pieces from Agent Bluebelle’s Wardrobe. Conveniently, next to her, I Love Lucite’s accessories gleamed temptingly. The Palm Court Trio lent a classy vibe to the occasion and their jazz sounds soothed punters as they scouted for that special item from Suepah Doopah and Deco to Retro. Estelle of Brighton wowed us with her beautiful handbags, and the lovely Rose of Decadia was on hand to initiate and inform on vintage hair and make-up. For those smaller (and perhaps less interested in their parent’s next vintage purchase), there was cricket and croquet on the lawn. Even though this evolved into “find the croquet ball in the unmowed lawn” it was no less exciting for the younger contingent, and a lot less stressful for parents. When it all got too exciting, there was a chance to be served refreshments by the FUNdraisers, on Vintage Chic Boutique’s stunning crockery and plates.
Sentimental Journey By Carlos De Treend I was treated to the Glenn Miller Orchestra concert at Palmerston North’s Regent Theatre. The band was formed in 1938 by Glenn Miller, a gifted trombonist from Iowa who realised his true talents lay in writing and arranging music. His eponymous orchestra became one of the best-selling recording groups from 1939-1943, and to this day it remains one of the most highly regarded big bands of all-time. The band has continued to win accolades and posthumous awards long after Glenn Miller himself vanished in 1944. Seventy five years later, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, now led by Larry O’Brien, remains true to form and is made up of musicians who share a legacy with the original band members from the WWII days. Having a high school background in the trumpet, I can’t begin to express how excited I was to be watching this show on its debut tour of New Zealand. The 15 piece band opened with their classic hit ‘Moonlight Serenade’ and after a brief intro by the band’s leader, went on to play their best known hits such as ‘Little Brown Jug’, ‘Pennsylvania 6-5000’, ‘String of Pearls’ and ‘Tuxedo Junction’. The band was joined by a female vocal trio who performed beautiful renditions of The Andrews Sisters hits including ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’, ‘Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree’ and ‘In The Mood’, as well as the Broadway Swing Dance Troupe who dressed in war-time costumes and brought an authentic dimension to the show. But what truly made this show one-of-a-kind for me, besides being able to close my eyes and imagine I was listening to the same band that graced 40s dance halls, was the collective sighs and audible swoons from the majority of the seventy to eighty year old patrons. In a sea of grey hair, the memories shared of past loves and precious moments, played out during the era of this band’s heyday, was evident in the smiling and teary eyed faces of the 1200-strong audience. I was honoured to be attending this once-in-a-lifetime concert and I’d be lying if I said I remained dry eyed for ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’.
The care and style of many attending was quite inspiring – a great afternoon was enjoyed across the generations. Viva La Vintage – and a community who knows how to do it in style! 13
WHERE THOU ART, THAT IS
HOME
Luke wears: riding jacket, waistcoat, jodhpurs, and top hat - Agent Bluebelle’s Wardrobe, white shirt - Playhouse Theatre.
14
Tamsin wears Corset - The Corseterie, Bloomers - Tam Sin, Boots - Minnie Cooper Nathalie wears white shirt - Mintage, skirt - Playhouse Theatre, apron - Decadia
15
Luke wears: riding jacket, waistcoat, jodhpurs and top hat - Agent Bluebelle’s Wardrobe, white shirt - Playhouse Theatre, cane - Fossick Collected Interiors Tamsin wears: skirt and jacket - Playhouse Theatre, bonnet - Artful Addiction, gloves - Decadia.
16
Tamsin wears: jacket, skirt and hat – Agent Bluebelle’s Wardrobe
17
Luke wears: suit, shirt, bow tie and straw boater – Leo O’Malley Menswear
18
Tamsin wears: corset– Tam Sin, bustle skirt – The Corseterie, gloves - Decadia
19
Tamsin wears: corset – Tam Sin, bustle skirt – The Corseterie, gloves - Decadia
20
Luke wears: suit, waistcoat, shirt, cravat and hat – Leo O’malley Menswear
21
Luke wears: suit, waistcoat, shirt, cravat and hat – Leo O’malley Menswear, shoes - model’s own Tamsin wears: velvet bonnet – Agent Bluebelle’s Wardrobe, jacket, skirt and gloves - Decadia
22
The fashion team would like to thank Fossick Collected Interiors, in Matakana, for use of their fabulous store and props. Visit www.fossickinteriors.com or better yet, pay them a visit in person at the Old Dairy Factory - open gentlemen’s hours. Photography: Carlos de Treend - The Juice Lab. Wardrobe and Styling: Rose Jackson - Decadia – Vintage Beauty & Style . Hair and Makeup: Claire Gormly - The Vanity Case. Stylist’s Assistant: Nathalie Gregory. Models: Tamsin, Luke and Nathalie.
23
24
By Natasha Francois
Victoria and her subjects were the first to wear black while mourning. The queen wore black “widow’s weeds” for the rest of her life. Victoria even slept with a cast of Prince Albert’s hand beside her pillow so that she could hold him while she slept. Under her orders, her husband’s clothes continued to be laid out each day, his breakfast prepared and hot water delivered to his room every morning so he could shave, despite him being dead and buried. Following Albert’s death, the longest-reigning monarch in British history exited public life until her death in 1901.
MOURNING
She was her Most Eccentric Majesty. The monarch with the stratospherically high morals who gave her name to an entire era was one of the most stubborn and opinionated women in history. Queen Victoria hated, in no particular order: babies, breastfeeding, smoking, modern technology, motor cars, bishops, Catholics and the Irish, but she also had a wicked sense of humour, never wore “drawers” and was totally devoted to her husband, Prince Albert.
GLORY
Upon hearing the news her beloved Albert had died of typhoid in 1861, the pious and popular queen collapsed in a heap on the floor, clutched her youngest child Beatrice, wrapped her in her husband’s night clothes and lay there until sunrise. She then plunged into a state of mourning that lasted for four decades and dragged the rest of the nineteenth-century world into mourning with her. Victoria was a trendsetter and unwittingly sparked the craze for mourning jewellery. Although mourning jewellery had been around for millennia, the Victorians took it to new heights. Victoria even decreed that only mourning jewellery could be worn in court until 1880.
To say the Victorians were obsessed with death and dying is putting it mildly. However, with the average life span a mere 50 years, with women commonly dying during childbirth, and diseases such as cholera and typhoid running rife, not to mention the widespread unsanitary conditions in which they lived, death was no stranger. This fascination with death filtered into everyday life, and the Victorians embraced it as much as they were repelled by it. From the 1850s, it became popular to take mourning portraits of the deceased, which were given to relatives as pictorial keepsakes. Death was not the worst thing for the Victorians; worse was the idea of dying and not being mourned. It therefore became of paramount importance that 25
THE ART OF MOURNING There was a strict protocol when it came to mourning: in nineteenth-century England, a widow was expected to be in mourning for two years. There were also various stages that had to be observed. Full mourning lasted for a year and a day. Dull black clothing was worn without ornament; the Victorians considered it crass to wear extravagant jewellery in the first stage of mourning. Widows wore a weeping veil made from black crepe. Second mourning lasted nine months. Minor ornamentation was permitted by way of fabric trim and sombre mourning jewellery. The veil was now raised and could be worn back over the head. Half mourning lasted between three and six months. More elaborate fabrics were allowed to trim the garments and colour was gradually phased back in. It became appropriate to wear regular jewellery.
MOURNING JEWELLERY Mourning jewellery was worn by both men and women and often featured life and death symbols such as skulls, crosses or hearts. Mourning watch fobs, lockets, necklaces, rings, clasps, buttons, bracelets and brooches were all worn in reverence for the dead. Mourning jewellery was suitably dark-coloured, understated and elegant and made from materials including jet, vulcanite and celluloid. Queen Victoria’s material of choice was jet, a fossilised coal. Jet, which resembles black glass, has been washing up on shores since prehistoric times. It was the only material allowed during the first phase of mourning. However, jet was also very expensive, so it was also flaunted as a display of wealth and status.
the living show respect for their dearly departed in their outward appearance, no matter their social class or walk of life. Mourning fashion was widely adopted, particularly by widows and other women. Some wealthy women even dressed their servants for mourning and elderly widows often remained in mourning for the rest of their lives. 26
When natural jet supplies began to dwindle in the 1870s, dark mouldable alternatives such as shellac, dyed horn and celloid were employed as replacements. Celloid was the first man-made plastic and was nicknamed “the great imitator”, due to its ability to mimic natural materials which were becoming scarcer and more expensive. Vulcanite is a type of hardened black rubber that, like jet, is lightweight and warm to the touch. Although it
can be polished to a high sheen, it never has the same shine as genuine jet. Gutta percha is a natural latex found in East Asian evergreen trees, and was the first material to be used for costume jewellery. Human hair was also used. Today, it might sound morbid to make jewellery with hair from the deceased. But death in Victorian times was viewed in an entirely different context. There was far less division between the living and the dead, and hair ornaments served not only as a reminder of the person, but were also considered a way for the living and the dead to communicate.
COLLECTING MOURNING JEWELLERY Because Victorian mourning jewellery was made to last, it can still be found today. The internet is an excellent place to start: eBay is awash with examples including brooches, bracelets, necklaces and lockets. The most common pieces include jet, vulcanite and horn brooches. Necklaces, rings and bracelets are far rarer and therefore command higher prices. The most prized items are crafted from enamelled precious metals and include intricate hair art examples. Personalised pieces are the most valuable, so look for items featuring photographs, engravings or a date.
Hair was woven and knotted in order to make brooches, bracelets, and watch chains. These humanhair ornaments were suitable for half mourning. Preparation was important: before jewellery could be made, the hair had to be boiled in soda water for 15 minutes before being sorted into lengths and divided into sections of 20–30 hairs. Most hairwork was based around a mould or strong material. Sometimes the hair wasn’t made into an ornament itself but was hidden within an item, such as a locket. By the late-Victorian era, popular women’s magazines included new hair art patterns.
shop.stephentempler.co.nz www.stephentempler.co.nz 27
Cameras. Trains. Electric light bulbs. Stamps. Bicycles. The telephone. The radio. And even the flushing toilet. These were just a handful of the myriad inventions created during the Victorian era. It was a period filled with dreamers and doers – gentlemen scholars and inventors who harnessed all the scientific and technological advances the Industrial Revolution had borne, and used them to create many of the modern conveniences we enjoy to this day. Aside from this rather practical list of inventions, the Victorians also had a surreal sense of design. During this era, they also created, among many others, the automatic smoking machine, the stamp licker and the multipurpose cane. Inherent in invention are elements of play and imagination. As Thomas Edison said, “I never did a day’s work in my life, it was all fun”. Indeed, today it seems our modern inventors have lost none of the whimsy Edison enjoyed during his time securing over a thousand patents. Glory Days met with several of these modern day imaginative gentlemen, who look to the past for inspiration, and discovered that the spirit of “fun” within invention is alive and well. 28
When the first cookbook you received as a child was Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes, you’re destined to have an unconventional relationship with food. This could not be truer for Sam Bompas and Harry Parr of Bompas & Parr. These experiential culinary inventors have taken the British public on a Willy Wonka-esque adventure for the past six years, traversing culinary terrain which includes glow in the dark architectural jellies, waterfalls using four tonnes of chocolate, breathable clouds of fruit, gin and tonic mists, lakes of liquid sweetener, exploding wedding cakes and room-sized cocktails. Friends since their teens, Bompas and Parr first embarked on edible explorations when they decided to try their hand at a stall at the famous Borough Markets in London. After discovering it lacked a good selection of sweet offerings, they decided jelly would make a fun addition. Borough Market, however, sent them packing – a decision the organisers probably regret today.
Despite the setback, the pair decided to go ahead with their jellymonger plans; investing in two antique copper moulds. These were prohibitively expensive, so Parr with his architectural background, used his design skills to make their own architecturally inspired jelly moulds using CAD software and a 3D printer. Their concept was to return jelly to its former glory. Tradititionally, jelly was a high status, sophisticated dessert for adults. It was often alcohol-based, filled with fresh fruit and produced using sugar (which in previous eras was an extremely expensive commodity). Jelly was strictly the preserve of the ruling class due to the amount of time and the conditions it required to clarify and set. It wasn’t until WW1 or the “jelly dark ages” as Sam calls them, that it became a ubiquitous convenience food fed to children – a “just add water” treat. Bompas and Parr gained notoriety after they held a jelly competition at the London Festival of Architecture in 2008. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. 29
“We were lucky because it coincided with a lot of trends- the trend for historic dining and old food ways” says Bompass. “We look at a lot of history, going on the basis that if something was interesting hundreds of years ago and people are still writing about it now well... Time is a great editor”. They then started project based collaborations, utilising multi-disciplinary experts to execute their flights of culinary fancy. One such project was the Architectural Punchbowl they produced in partnership with Courvoisier, with the help of a government research contract. This was inspired by Lord Edward Russell. He was a British Admiral, who in 1694, created the world’s largest cocktail – one big enough that small boys could boat around in it, mixing the drink as they went with their oars. They had to take a break every 15 minutes lest the fumes overwhelm them. For the modern day homage, Courvoisier supplied one and a half tonnes of cognac which they mixed into a drinkable cocktail that was served up to guests from a specifically designed room-sized punchbowl. The pair describe the design process as organic. “The main thing is conceiving what you want to do. After that it’s easy”. Conversations in pubs with friends, looking towards different disciples, science, magic, collaboration and taking on the challenging, hard ideas all serve as creative inspiration for the pair. As Bompas says; “If its easy it’s just not interesting... struggle is good”.
30
Stevey
T
CREATIVE MAN OF ACTIOnn Self-described “illustrator, shaman and man of action”, Wellington-based Steven Templer has been a full-time artist since returning from the UK in 2000. Aside from being Glory Days’ resident art director, his numerous projects include community murals, floats and costumes for samba bands, stage sets and music videos as well as working on Peter Jackson’s blockbusters, King Kong and The Hobbit. But the apple of his eye is his Sausage Circus Bicycle Sound System, a dream that finally came to fruition
this year with the help of friend Sheiva Narousian. Described as a “pedal powered travelling street theatre... that will delight your eyes, tickle your toes and add that mustard to your custard” the pedal powered SCBSS boasts kinetic sculpture, automata, music playing capabilities and a peep show– all presented with interactive performances from Templer and Narousian. The urge to create and invent has been with him since he was a lad. “I don’t ever remember not wanting to sketch ideas and dream of making things. 31
One of the earliest things that really floated my boat was visiting a place with old steam trains and I spent the next few weeks drawing them, just loving the detail and the intricacy of the the ancient machinery.” Templer’s particularly inspired by the Victorian era because he loves historical technology. “The Victorians made a lot of beautiful things that combined their new technology with a sense of beauty and pride. They valued aesthetics as well as functionality”. He also finds inspiration in street theatre- one of the main reasons he created the SCBSS. “We really miss out on this tradition in New Zealand, that’s why I wanted to build my bike, basically to give kiwis some cheeky interactive theatre and an opportunity to come out of their shells and have some fun in the streets. Humour is a very important part of everything I do. I love things which have a unique and imaginative view of the world”. Templer begins the creative process with rough sketches which are developed into more refined drawings. Depending on the project, he sometimes consults engineers and friends and creates working drawings in scale with a three dimensional view or isometric projection. When asked how he translates historical inspiration into modern day inventions he says; “basically with things like my bike it’s all a blag. It looks old and distressed on the outside but has modern components under it all, which is great as I can have a fully rigged sound system connected to an iPod but it looks like something from the Victorian era”.
32
Many of his bigger projects involve collaboration – such as the SCBSS, and the Wellington Batucada– a collaborative invention described as a “kind of a strange beer drinking raucous music machine”. This process is important but he’s “a strong believer in a clear artistic vision over ‘design-by-committee’”. He’s also working on a steam-powered time machine which hasn’t quite got off the ground yet. The invention process has taught him that anything’s possible, he says. “ I have many small hold ups or problems along the way in making things. But I’ve never really felt like something was a complete failure. Sometimes things just get tough”.
Rather than having a fixed idea of what to create, Horspool lets his collection of parts dictate the final design. “I start with parts chosen from my hoard of old old broken collectibles, finding the right size parts as I go. The assembly part I enjoy the most. It’s like making a 3D jigsaw from the picture inside my head, using a drill and some nuts and bolts to fit it together.” Other times, Martin has a specific brief, so he sketches out a plan first.
Where other people see broken bits and pieces destined for the scrapheap, Martin Horspool dreams of robots. By day, he works as an off-set printer. But after hours you’ll find him knee deep in his “hoard of old old broken collectibles” creating fanciful robots, insects, trophy heads and other character-filled creations in his Auckland workshop. Inspired by the assemblage work of artist Greer Twiss and the drawings of W. Heath Robinson (“he had a great imagination, sense of humour and illustration style”), Horspool decided to have a go at transforming his technical drawings of robots and other creatures, into 3D sculptures eight years ago. “I had a collection of broken 1960s lamps and retro objects which I manipulated into a series of insects and got invited to exhibit them. This gave me the motivation to keep on building things.”
While he can’t own up to any spectacular creative failures, Horspool’s greatest success so far is two robots built for the Splore festival art trail. Mr And Mrs Splorebot incorporated everything from built-in music to flashing lights and a bubble machine. To see these robots in action, visit https://vimeo. com/36469844 Ultimately, Martin’s metal creations are “100 percent for me and my fanciful mind” He feels compelled to make or create as much as he can. Sometimes it’s a tough decision between building robots or painting technical drawings. What’s the greatest lesson he’s learnt from the invention process? “Go with your gut feeling, find what you are good at and just do it”.
Martin loves collecting metal from the 1950s and 60s industrial era. “It was made to last, the paint colours are just right, the typography is stylish, not like the rubbish we buy these days”. Once he’s gathered a selection of vintage parts, the form and shape decide the final outcome. “Rusty and dented objects become a grungy robot whereas, more polished and shiny objects have more of a hi-tech feel”. 33
Step back to the future at Howick’s unique living history museum. By Natasha Francois Having finished reciting the Lord’s Prayer, the priest leads the congregation into a rousing rendition of All Things Bright and Beautiful. I glance around at the other villagers; the women in long flowing dresses and starched petticoats, the men in their best shirts and waistcoats, and feel distinctly out of place in my leopard print dress and black cardigan. Small children in bonnets and caps kick their legs against the wooden pews while a baby wails quietly in the back row. Out on the street it’s a drizzly Sunday morning, but the villagers are going about their business as usual. The acrid smell of burning coal hangs in the air as blacksmiths hammer away in the forge while elderly ladies gossip behind their spindles. The Howick Arms might be open for business but there’s not a soul to be found in the pub, except an amicable gentleman flogging non-alcoholic ginger beer. At the grand Puhi Nui homestead, pikelets are sizzling on the coal range and a kettle boils over an open fire.The costumed women and children stationed in the kitchen lend an authentic Victorian ambiance to the setting and it’s tempting to pretend you’ve travelled back to 1855. Welcome to Howick Historical Village. Set over seven acres, the spectacular living history museum accurately simulates life in a Fencible settlement from 1840-1880. The recreated colonial village, which opened in 1985, is made up of 30 original houses and cottages –all salvaged from the Howick area and then painstakingly relocated to the current site. The buildings include a church, schools, a general store, 34
forges, a millhouse and several Victorian homesteads. The cottages even contain their original furnishings from yesteryear. The ‘Fencibles’ (aka The Royal New Zealand Fencible Corps) were retired soldiers who had served in the wars for the British empire in the 1830s and 40s, and retired on a pension. The word ‘Fencible’ comes from the word ‘defencible’ meaning ‘capable of defense.’ These retired servicemen were recruited by Governor George Grey to protect the new settlement of Auckland from threats from the Maori (who had made it clear the settlers were not welcome) and the French, who had recently seized Tahiti. In order to immigrate to Auckland under the Fencible scheme, the retired soldiers had to be under the age of 48 and of ‘good character’ and ‘industrious habits’. They were offered a new life in New Zealand including free passage with their families. After seven
years of service, they were given their own cottage and an acre of land, in return for performing military activities duties during the compulsory Sunday church parade. For the rest of their time, they were allowed to pursue other employment. All in all, 2,500 fencibles and their families made the gruelling voyage to Auckland and settled in fencible villages in Howick, Panmure, Otahuhu and Onehunga. But when the first boats arrived, the passengers discovered there were no cottages waiting. So they bunked down in tents or Raupo cottages while others slept in gender-segregated sheds on Howick beach. The fencibles had a profound effect on Auckland and many of their descendents still live in the area. Today, the buildings, gardens and archives are maintained by volunteers and members of the Howick and Districts Historical Society (Inc). As well as thirty original buildings, the living museum also houses extensive archives containing records of early settlers and their families, over 2,000 textile items from 1850-1920, a collection of nineteenth century paintings and a host of household furniture and decorative art. On the third Sunday of every month, the village hosts ‘live’ days in which costumed volunteers participating in typical daily tasks and chat with visitors about colonial life. They’re well versed on the individual histories of each of the cottage’s original occupants and most have fascinating stories to share.
Pop into the general store or wander inside cottages where you can try biscuits cooked over an open fires, or learn about everyday crafts and activities. You can also experience a Victorian school lesson, take part in a church service, and enjoy a marionette show. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch members of the 65th Regiment Society staging one of their military reenactments at the village. The 65th Regiment was the longest-serving of any British army regiment in New Zealand and were stationed here for nearly 20 years during the 1800s. For anyone who fancies stepping into our colonial past for an afternoon, Howick Historical Village is a fascinating place to start. The Howick Historical Village is open seven days, except Christmas, New Year’s Day, Good Friday and ANZAC day. For more info, check out www.fencibles.org.nz.
35
POST APOCALYpSE
NOW Lady Helen
Steampunk
introduces the retro-futuristic world of Steampunk. With its authentic Victorian architecture, historic harbour and a core of committed heritage enthusiasts, Oamaru has spawned The New Zealand Penny Farthing Championship Races, a home for traditional crafts of wood working and bookbinding and the annual Victorian Heritage Celebrations. In recent years, it’s also become a hotbed of steampunk culture. Steampunk events were added to the annual Victorian Heritage festivities four years ago and Victorian science fiction is now embraced by the town. The term ‘steampunk’ is derived from the predominant technology of the time and presents a ‘tomorrow as it used to be’ fantasy. For many, it’s a search for where society might have taken the wrong turn at the end of the Victorian era. The subculture’s roots are based in the romantic fiction or science fiction of the Victorian period; think Jules Vernes, H.G. Wells or Edward Sylvester Ellis and his “Steam Man of the Prairies”. A century later, science fiction writers in London, England inspired by their predecessors, were writing plots based in Victorian London with steampowered versions of twentieth century technology, airships, space travel and alternative futures. Steampunk soon expanded from literature to lifestyle. 36
In 2008, inspired by the ingenuity of the Victorians and their science fiction, Ensign Darling, Iain Clark, made a steampowered beer mug for an ALFs Army mess dinner. Many of the assembled chaps admired the artifact and declared that they could do similar things with goodies in their sheds. This motivated Darling to show off the talent of the creative Oamaru people and so he proposed an exhibition to run concurrently with the Victorian Heritage celebrations in November 2009. The exhibition soon took on a life of its own. Contributions of all shapes and sizes came from across New Zealand including an entire range of portraits and rayguns from Weta Workshops in Wellington. The crowds overflowed the Forrester Gallery and spilled out into the main street. 7000 visitors passed throught the doors. Steampunk in New Zealand had taken off.
The first fashion show and gala ball followed in June 2010, alongside the exhibition and it has since spiralled into a full blown annual festival. More than 30,000 people have visited the exhibitions to date and enthusiasts from Whangerei to Invercargill and Australia converge on Oamaru each June. Steampunk’s popularity has exploded across New Zealand, There are now groups in most major towns and cities. Steampunk aficiandos continue to gather to celebrate each others’ creativity and ingenuity in any and every way Victorian. Visit www.steampunknz.co.nz or https://www.facebook.com/steampunknz for more info.
find your perfect match - lipstick that is! www.thevanitycase.co.nz 37
LIGHTS, DOMAIN, ACTION: THE AUCKLAND EXHIBITION OF 1913
By Edward Bennett To coincide with the launch of the new K Road Vintage Guide, we asked historian Edward Bennett to revisit the heady days of the Auckland Exhibition.
population of Auckland at the time was a little over 60,000, this was an outstanding success.
In 1913, the city of Auckland was electrified by news of one of the biggest events ever to be staged in the region. The Auckland Exhibition (a Trade & Industry Fair) was opened by the Governor General Lord Liverpool on 1st December 1913.
Importers, manufacturers and retailers vied with each other to display the range of products available in the Dominion, including examples of fine art, heavy machinery, tinned fruit, imported lace, and New Zealand-made ceramics. The official guide included an entire section on fashion. An art gallery and concert hall contrasted with the presence of the largest amusement park in the country.
The goal was to create the opportunity for the city and district to create an elaborately organised spectacle and establish a fund for improving the longneglected Auckland Domain. The idea was eagerly embraced and proved a credit to its promoters and supporters. The largest attendance recorded on a single day was 40,000 people. Considering the
Thousands made their way by the new electric tram system to the Domain, most via Symonds Street and Karangahape Road. They flooded across the three-year-old Grafton Bridge – which was itself a marvel of engineering as the largest single span arched bridge in the world – before arriving at the exhibition grounds.
38
Vast tracts of the Domain were fenced off to provide space for sports events and other activities and for buildings specifically constructed for the exhibition. The new structures included a concert hall that could seat 1000, an aquarium, an art gallery, two cafés and various pavilions. City Parks Superintendent Thomas Pearson organised scores of labourers to beautify the grounds. This resulted in permanent features, including paths, rockeries, flowerbeds and plantings which cost 4,000 pounds. One of the cafes was intended as a permanent structure and still stands today, located near the duck ponds. It was a combination of trade fair, Easter Show and garden party. There was even a pleasure ground where people could stroll amongst flowerbeds and exotic palm trees while enjoying music from several bands. The repertoire would have ranged from Gilbert and Sullivan and Souza Marches to the new ragtime tunes. There were two bandstands, one of wood and the other ofbrick, cement and iron. The materials for the latter were paid for by local businessman Mr J.M. Mennie; this structure remains a feature of the Domain to this day. The main building was distinguished by two towers, one of which contained an electric lift. It took people up to the gallery connecting the two towers. The viewing gallery was 70 feet above the ground and provided a magnificent view of the harbour. The other tower boasted a spiral staircase. Another highlight of the exhibition was an aeronautic display: hundreds flocked to witness the Bleriot monoplane Britannia fly over the Domain, piloted by New Zealander Joseph J Hammond. Flying was a great novelty at the time: the Wright brothers had flown at Kittyhawk only five years earlier. Other modern inventions on show included demonstrations of the newfangled gramophones, and moving pictures.
Beyond the pleasure ground was an avenue leading to a sizeable amusement park called Wonderland. Visitors were greeted by a giant grimacing face based on the one at Melbourne’s Luna Park. The fun park included many fairground exhibits that are now considered standard fare for any modern amusement park, but were mostly unfamiliar to New Zealanders at the time. They included a children’s railway, helter-skelter, water chute, roller coaster and haunted castle. At night, the exhibition and amusement park were transformed into a marvellous colour-tinted spectacle, thanks to the novel use of electric power and light. Every building glowed with electric light bulbs or was bathed in floodlighting. Searchlight beams swept the heavens and even the waters were illuminated by the new electric wonder of the modern world. The electric fairy fountain was inspired by the 1893 Chicago Exhibition. The fountain was the first in Australasia, and was worked by electric motors and centrifugal pumps. Around the fountain jets were eight lamps, in each of which were glasses of different colours. According to the souvenir guide, “These glasses are so operated that rays of light of differing hues are being reflected constantly in the water and spray by very powerful lamps, providing a delightful and extremely tasteful colour effect.” The Auckland Exhibition gave birth to new fashions, and doubtless influenced many romances. It left a vastly improved landscape and a brand new set of buildings in its wake, and the profits helped build the much-admired Wintergardens in the Domain. Each night that summer – the last one before the outbreak of World War One – people wandered the gardens, inhaling the night-scented flowers, listening to music and soaking up the magical effects of the moon and electric lights.
39
40
ON YOUR BIKE:
Yesteryear’s scooter adventures
By Luke de Large Being involved with both the vintage and classic scooters scenes, I’m fortunate to have met a number of people who have experienced their big OE or intrepid journeys on a humble Vespa or Lambretta. Listening to their stories and seeing their photographs from the 1950s has inspired me to compare their endeavours with the classic scooter riders of today. Half a century ago, a scooter with a pint-sized engine was a big step up from walking or using a bicycle. To own a car, you would not only have had to save up but you’d also have to be in a stable work and family environment. The urge to leave the nest and seek adventure was the preserve of younger adults who were not yet tied into mortgages and working
life. However, the majority of these young adults weren’t in the position to afford a car on top of the running costs of a long journey. Therefore a scooter was an achievable transport solution for a long distance journey – and still provided independence from train or bus networks. It also offered ample space for rider, passenger and luggage alike. For Kiwis dreaming of their big OE, the first obstacle was the fare. There were no Grab-a-Seat deals or cheap student fares in those days. Air travel to Europe was reserved for business people and those who could afford the luxury. Most travellers therefore embarked on a long sea voyage to reach their destination. Some were lucky and could work for their fare – for the rest, it came down to savings. 41
A gentleman from the Melbourne Vespa Club explained how he scraped together the £800 needed for his journey. In addition to his day job, he attached a trailer to his Vespa, on which he carried a lawnmower. For months, he spent every spare minute doing lawn-mowing work. As his trip inched closer, he was still £200 short, so he sold his Vespa. But he still needed another £100. As time ran out out, he made a last-ditch effort by betting on the horses – and luckily it paid off ! When he asked the bookie to bet 50 for him, as he was a very young man, the bookie asked “50 pence? He replied, “No, $£50!” When he won and asked the bookie for his 10:1 winnings he said with a big smile, “500 please … pounds, not pence.” Once this hurdle was overcome and the actual scooter journey began, there were also unique challenges to face. The first involved equipment and gear. Forget cosy thermal underwear, weather-proof clothing and armoured riding gear, composite carry systems, mobile phone back up and GPS – they had none of that. Helmets were sometimes worn but a good ski cap and goggles could do the trick. With some luck they had oilskin raincoats, and the luggage was 42
whatever suitcase was handy and possible to tie down somewhere on the bike. Travelling on two wheels then meant being exposed to the weather conditions, dealing with the road surface (did I mention tiny 8” wheels?) and flexing their map-reading skills. However, there was also an upside to travelling back then. Marti and Gerrard Friedlander gave me an insight into their epic trip from the UK to Greece and Israel in 1956 (look out for their honeymoon photo collection in an upcoming issue). They explained that they started their trip hardly carrying any money. “People just gave us petrol and let us sleep in their homes,” Marti explained. “I don’t know if it was our innocent approach or simply times with more trust and mutual respect – but we were welcomed so often and helped along on our trip by total strangers.” Judging by some of their photos from that trip, it seems that their overloaded Lambretta always attracted the curiosity of the locals. They would have made a fascinating sight, especially as it was far less common to travel long distances in those days, particularly on a scooter. It certainly wasn’t a luxury ride compared with the conditions we are used to today, but there were
also less expectations. The priority was to get there, survive the journey, be able to afford the trip and to remain free and independent. When you look at the pictures of those travellers you can read their faces, full of excitement and sense of adventure. They wore jandals and shorts to cross the Alps on gravel roads, popped into town barefoot and spent rainy days covered in oilskins. But they always seemed to have a smile when posing for the camera. The exhausting nature of scooter travel is illustrated by another anecdote from Marti. Marti and Gerrard travelled on their Lambretta all the way to Greece and then up to the temples like other tourists. After viewing the sights, she begged one of the local tourist buses to let her join them for the comfortable drive back to town so she would at least have one day free from the saddle sores and cramps caused from riding pillion on her husband’s Lambretta.
19 O’CONNELL ST AUCKLAND CBD 09 309 0600 www.strangelynormal.com
Speaking to these epic travellers helped me realise that their priorities were vastly different to what we’d expect of a journey or vacation today. Our desire for comfort was replaced with boundless optimism and an appetite for adventure. Instead of a pre-booked hotel room, they met new people, and sometimes made lifelong friendships. When quizzing them on their travel speed, I’m usually met with a shrug. “I don’t know .. we got there at the end.” They were truly the glory days of travelling.
43
Albert shako hat, emblazoned with the royal crest of Victoria and strapped tightly under his chiselled jaw. Equipped with a Brown-Bess musket and unblinking thousand-yard stare, Henry was the immobile image of a brave soldier. Yet for all this perfection, and seemingly as though his creator wished upon him a cruel joke, below his simple nose where there should have been a painted line for a mouth, there was simply a thin, drooping, black moustache. At first glance, Henry would forever appear to be on the verge of tears.
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow. by Carlos de Treend After all the festive cheer had subsided, when all the bellies were full. After the last gifts had been opened and all the kisses had been shared. After all the relatives had outstayed their collective welcomes and stray dogs had feasted upon the bountiful scraps of turkey and ham, life would return to the bitter cold streets, a sluggish pulse in a vast network of dark veins. It was so bitterly cold in fact, that most folk would simply take an axe to their precious Christmas tree, after carefully removing the wooden and glass heirloom ornaments that adorned it. The once-proud giant that had stood at the centre of their home for the past 12 nights, a monument to the season of giving and sharing, kindness and gratitude, scattering across the family rug pine needles that were what warmth and joy smelled like, was cut into pieces, was thrown onto a crackling, hungry fire. The same fire had, for the past 12 nights in this particular household, burned brightly enough to make Henry’s painted scarlet coat glisten as if still wet. From head to foot ,Henry was an immaculately presented three-inch statuette of a royal infantryman serving under Queen Victoria. His scarlet coat had alabaster-white sashes diagonally crossing his firm chest, badges on each broad shoulder, and braiding at the cuff of each sleeve, ornately gilded in gold-leaf. His jet-black hair was hidden beneath an 44
On this night however, Henry’s sad little moustachemouth couldn’t be further from his mind. For the past 12 days, the most glorious days he could ever recall, he’d shared his usual fourth-tier place on the tree within a tiny wooden arm’s reach of the most beautiful angel he’d ever laid his delicately painted eyes upon. Henry shared storage season with the wooden rocking horses and glass baubles, lead trinkets and wax candies. But the angel had her own special box, from which he’d watched her being gently retrieved every year, tissue paper carefully unwrapped, before being ceremoniously lifted to her rightful place atop the tree. But the previous year she’d somehow fallen from her summit and been stepped on by a child. She had been demoted and replaced by a newer, unbroken angel. So now, before him, in crest-fallen shame on the fourth tier, was this majestic wax angel with two broken wings and a scuffed and deeply scarred left cheek. Henry had never seen a more imperfectly beautiful thing in all his Christmases past. As the sun rose and set each day, causing the light to gently filter in through the window, softly illuminating the pleats and folds in the angel’s pale blue dress, Henry willed himself to stand tautly at attention; to remain steadfast and strong. Locked in a gaze with his angel for 12 days had awakened something inside him, and he yearned to be just a little closer to her; to protect her from the sudden gusts of wind that came and went with the opening of the door. He wanted to admire the soft rouge daubed on her non-scuffed cheek; to raise his wooden hand and stroke her soft blonde hair; to catch her, should she ever fall again. He imagined that could she talk, she’d have a voice even sweeter than his favourite Christmas carols.
Henry tried his utmost to maintain eye contact through each passing hour, never allowing her to catch him looking at her facial disfigurement. Her exquisite soft lips and large blue eyes stared right back at him. Oh, how he ached to comfort her.
He stopped briefly, wiping away with his sleeve the beads of sweat that peppered his brow. Looking back over his shoulder at the path he’d trampled in the swaying tall grass, he beheld a sea of green stretching to all four corners of the horizon.
The few precious hours after dusk had been the most cherished, as the house was filled with joyous laughter and choruses of song, the aroma of sweet meats and glazed cherries. Brightly coloured packages were exchanged between family, torn open with fervour and delight, and streams of paper and string had littered the floor.
But a tiny golden light deep in the forest beckoned to him and he found himself again running, dodging thick tree trunks and uneven ground, eyes caught between watching his footfall and finding the origin of the ever-growing bright light in the distance. On and on he ran for what felt like miles, until the light grew in intensity and he was forced to shield his eyes with the back of his hand.
But none of this had compared to the beauty Henry beheld as the flickering candles cast long dancing shadows across his angel’s face and neck. Occasionally, the flames threw just enough light to make it almost appear as though she was whispering silently to him, a sad little secret bundled and cast across too wide a divide, her messages lost in the pine fronds. Henry wished he had been able to impress upon her how truly exquisite she looked, bathed in the orange and golden hue. But now, on this final night, after all the candles had been extinguished and the room had been plunged into darkness, Henry found himself bereft, struggling to accept that this cold silent night would be the last he would spend looking into his angel’s eyes. He willed himself to remain awake for as long as he possibly could, with all the resolute strength and determination he could muster, but it wasn’t long before his eyelids grew heavy and he was sucked into a delicious dream. He felt his arms and legs heavy at first, noticing for the first time that he could look down at his own gloved hands. He was alive! He burst into a run, he jumped and skipped. Tearing off his cumbersome hat and coat, he sprinted through a tall grassy field stretching forever left and right. He ran and ran with determination, arriving at the edge of a dark forest.
Looking through the slits between his fingers, he was now able to make out a dark silhouette against the brightness and he stumbled forward, racing sometimes on hands and feet to keep from tripping. After passing just a few more thick branches and trunks, he stopped completely motionless as though caught in a giant spiderweb. Henry was completely frozen on his feet. He fell to his hands and knees, his heart stopped beating, he stared silently in disbelief and watched in horror as his beautiful angel, his one true love, the perfectly wonderful silent companion, burned brightly, her entire body engulfed in flame. Waking abruptly, Henry tried with all his might to leap forward across the void and save her, but found his body once again carved in wood, and he was left with nothing more than the last few precious seconds with his waxen love. And as the fire surrounded them both, her delicate features began to warp and drip, her hair falling in clumps, arms silently drooping before collapsing against herself. Henry smelled the burning pine needles and felt the hot embrace of the fire consuming his hands and feet. He called upon the very essence of his courage and strength, and gazing deeply into his angel’s beautiful teary eyes, embracing the love he so desperately wished to share with her, Henry smiled. 45
46
BSR Dansette record player
By Andy Millar
Glory Days’ resident rockabilly columnist Andy Millar divulges a few of his favourite things... Of all of my treasured items, I have, with a little difficulty, narrowed it down to three. They all keep alive the aura of a magic time, and also capture my peculiar history.
Manufactured throughout the 1950s and ‘60s, I bought my Dansette in the UK in the 1980s to accompany my growing swing, rockabilly and country record collection and it hasn’t missed a beat since (if you can excuse the pun). BSR (Birmingham Sound Reproducers) were the first to patent an autochanger, which means it’s equipped to play 7”, 10” and 12”discs of 78, 45, 33⅓ and 16rpm automatically. It was, and still is, the high end of 1950s portable music and I would much rather watch a stack of records play through than switch on the television. Bliss.
1951 BSA D1 Bantam motorcycle Bush MB60 radio This was a wedding present given to my parents by my grandmother in 1958. As a child I remember playing with it – my main fascination being that the large tuning dial named many of the exotic locations around the world (including Scotland) that the BBC World Service broadcast to and from. That, and the fact that the dial is exquisitely balanced and can be used to tune very accurately. My MB60 is a five valve radio and weighs over 3kg. It was the first radio to use an Ogle cabinet designed by David Ogle. The company was very successful during the 1950s in household and industrial product design. It is still in working order, although I have a modern replica that I use to take out and about. Like my parents, they make a grand couple.
I owned a succession of 1950s classic motorcycles in the UK – BSA C15 and Bantam, Triumph Tiger Cub and so forth – but I bought this motorcycle on arrival in New Zealand, for $900. It hadn’t run in 10 years but it only took a little persuasion to get it back to life. They were all originally produced in olive green with the exception of those used by the GPO which were bright red. BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) were awarded the design rights for a DKW (a German motorcycle) as part of war reparations after World War II and produced the Bantam from those, although the cheeky buggers wouldn’t admit to this until well into the 1970s. I enjoy it so much because of its hugely understated beauty, simple mechanics and reliability. If only people could be more so. Take it greasy,
47
By Claire Gormly Welcome to the first instalment of a brand new column, where editor Claire Gormly delves into the history of New Zealand pubs and samples the local hospitality. This issue she stayed at Eketahuna’s Commercial Hotel. Pub accommodation used to be the only option if you were in search of a cheap bed in provincial New Zealand. However, whether due to the advent of backpacker lodging or a general shift away from public house drinking, there’s been a noticeable decline of these former New Zealand institutions. If you drive around the country you can’t help but notice the For Sale signs on these often incredible old buildings. It’s not just the architecture in jeopardy, but also the cultural significance and rural hospitality they offer. 48
Glory Days aims to highlight these gems and remind people that the opportunity to stay at a cheap, character-loaded New Zealand icon is right under their noses. Eketahuna may sound like a song from an old Disney movie, but it is in fact a sleepy little farming town 20km north of Masterton. It’s short on food joints and long on men in gumboots, and there is only one cheap form of accommodation: The Commercial Hotel. The Commercial is a squat, unassuming 1950s pub, run by the lovely and industrious husband and wife team, Lynn and Colin, who have run the pub for 16 years. Colin says that pubs are a dying breed, and this one survives mostly due to the TAB (thanks to the fact that Racing NZ now has a race every day). Tonight is pool night, a friendly competition between the Commercial and the pub down the road that was shut down because of a painted-over sprinkler system. Jokes are made about not wanting photos taken in case the cops see them – I’m not sure if they are really joking. The accommodation wing is a delightful trip to the 1950s, the signs on the bathroom are original and the Axminster carpet has a worn strip right down the middle of the corridor.
Lynn remembers a movie being made here, in Room Three. It was a romantic movie that focused a lot on the bed. Shooting got in the way of her laundry duties and coughing fits were met with annoyance. Excitement ensued when she revealed that a horse was buried under the bar. However, on questioning, a patron revealed that it was simply a hoof print embedded in the concrete foundations. The building of this place was originally funded by the owner’s racehorse securing a big win on the track. A fitting beginning to a thriving TAB, but not as good a story as a whole horse resting in peace under the floorboards.
For $35 per night thits was great value for money, and the hospitality I received was over and above the call of duty. If you are passing this way, ignore the unassuming frontage and enjoy Lynn and Colin’s company.
The Commercial Hotel 42 Main St, Eketahuna 4910 Phone: 06 375 8243
I was made to feel thoroughly at home, a roaring fire was made for me, and an electric blanket readied. It was a little spooky as I was the only guest, and the corridor is long and dark. I had a few worried thoughts about the patrons of the bar knowing I was here alone and coming to find me – maybe to destroy my photographic evidence, maybe worse – but I rallied and had a fantastic sleep.
49
HOPPED UP
OUT OF
THE
ORDiNARY
Words and photography by Rose Jackson
In previous issues of Glory Days, Hopped Up has featured four-wheeled machines capable of taking a few people for a spin. But as this is the Victorian issue, we decided to take a look at that quintessential Victorian mode of transport, the penny farthing (or ‘ordinary bicycle’, to give the machine its correct title) which is strictly for the solo cruiser. We couldn’t think of a better person to interview than David ‘the Judge’ Wilson. David has ridden penny farthings for more than 20 years, founded the New Zealand National Championships, toured the length of New Zealand on his hand-built penny and even cycled one in the Parliament buildings! Rose Jackson spent an afternoon wheeling around with David in Oamaru, to understand the nuts and bolts of an ordinary bicycle. When did you first discover penny farthings? Oamaru has been working on the restoration of its original town centre, now known as the Victorian Precinct, since 1985. We discovered there was a penny farthing club in the town in 1882, and I
50
How fast can they go? How fast have you ever travelled on one? Fast – our top New Zealand riders have recorded speeds of over 35km an hour. I’m not a racer, I prefer the more sedate touring option. If you’re on a good flat road with no head winds, you can maintain 11 to 15kph for several hours. However, I’ve clocked over 20kph at times. Are modern penny farthings still made to original specs or have you modified them with the help of modern-day innovations?
became interested in riding one in 1992. A new club, the Oamaru Ordinary Cycle Club, was formed a few years later. Why do they appeal to you? Once mastered they’re fantastic to ride, and I always wear a true and correct outfit accurately styled on the riding outfits of the Victorian era. Do you build your own? I’m currently helping build my second penny. Her name is ‘Victorious’ and she’s replacing ‘Pioneer Spirit’, which I rode from Stewart Island to Cape Reinga for three months ending in February 2012. That expedition was over 2,000km and I travelled as a modern day swagger– with only the gear I could carry and no back-up vehicle. The bike alone weighed 57kg!
We remain true to the original specifications, using the latest welding equipment and machinery. Ten machines of varying sizes are under construction now at the Oamaru Cycle Works 1882 workshop, under the direction of Oamaru master bike builder Graeme Simpson. Each bike is pre-sold and the owners are building their own. New pennies retail for around $5000 depending on their size, and each bike takes over 100 hours to construct. What do you say to those who believe penny farthings belong in the past? Knowing and understanding our past and conserving our historic and cultural heritage is an important part of establishing a strong sense of community and local and national identity. Bringing penny farthing heritage alive is playing an important role in the revival of Oamaru’s Victorian Precinct, and at the same time it provides new interest for their riders and visitors alike. Why should someone have a go at riding one? It’s challenging, extremely fun and personally rewarding.
Are there any technical difficulties to overcome when assembling a penny farthing? Yes,many. Each bike is tailored to the owner’s inside leg measurement. This determines the size of the front wheel. The rider must also be able to comfortably sit on the seat and peddle. Ensuring the spoke size is correct, along with the backbone connecting the small wheel to the front forks, is important and intricate work. The front forks require careful measurements, and intricate welding. During the 1880s, blacksmiths did a lot of this work in their forges. 51
THIS VINTAGE TOWN:
OAMARU
Words and photography by Rose Jackson In one of those difficult pick-a-path moments in life, if you chose to veer right at the fork in the road at Oamaru down State Highway One, you would completely bypass one of the most outstanding examples of living history in New Zealand, and possibly the world. And you’d be none the wiser... If, however, you veer left and head down Thames St into the heart of Oamaru township, you’ll be rewarded with an incredible trip back in time to the Victorian era when the town was first settled, and where the stunning Whitestone architecture still stands proudly today. Oamaru’s Victorian Precinct is a unique cultural and historical treasure, which has drawn an equally unique and eclectic group of artists, craftspeople and shop owners to its majestic and magnificent buildings (due, rumour has it, to the leylines that cross over the land in this particular area). If you can, spend at least one long weekend here in your lifetime; I can guarantee you will never feel the same enthusiasm for “urban renewal” again. 52
VICTORIAN PRECINCT TOUR i-Site Visitor Centre, 1 Thames St, Oamaru 03 434 1656 This is a fantastic way to get your bearings and fully comprehend the rich history before your eyes. Call into the visitor centre and ask for Ralph. Ralph Sherwood is a veritable walking encyclopaedia of local knowledge and he can fill you in on why the main street is so wide, who The Larrakins were, and where to find the best ghost-sighting spot in town!
TIGER LILY’S 5 Tyne St, Oamaru 027 631 8287 Home of the best vintage shopping in town, hands down. Beautifully displayed with love and care, the clothing and accessories at Tiger Lily’s range from 1930s to 1980s, and are of excellent quality.
OAMARU HERITAGE RADIO 88.3 & 107FM 6 Itchen St, Oamaru 03 434 0362 Just the cutest pop-it-in-your-pocket-to-keep-safe gorgeous ‘lil radio station ever! Open to the public and staffed by locals, there’s old vinyl on the walls, a collection of vintage radios on display and a fine selection of country, pop and old-time radio hits to whistle along to.
CRITERION HOTEL
MICHAEL O’BRIEN BOOKBINDER
www.criterionhotel.co.nz 3 Tyne St, Oamaru 03 434 6247
7 Tyne St, Oamaru 03 434 9277
If you want a close encounter with apparitions, book a room at the Criterion! A favourite haunt of Victorian gentlemen who liked to host seances, the Criterion is located right in the heart of the precinct and has an ambience that new money just can’t buy.
Set aside an hour in the afternoon, when the perfect light is filtering through the shop windows, to chew the fat with Michael while you watch him work on the most stunning traditional bookbindings you will ever see. If you’re nice, he might even share his newspaper clipping on What is Trad? with you. 53
poetry albums and other treasures for words that deserve his skill and time. Rob is a very obliging chap, so if you would like to have a look at the beautiful machines up close, just ask.
SLIGHTLY FOXED SECONDHAND BOOKS 11 Tyne St, Oamaru 03 434 2155 Just what you want from a secondhand book store – way too hot, school librarian-esque person behind the counter, a hushed atmosphere and a little stairway up to a mezzanine that overlooks all the wonderful books for sale.
THE VICTORIAN WARDROBE 4B Harbour St, Oamaru 03 439 5726 To truly get into the spirit of the times, one must be wearing the proper attire. Go on, you know what they say, “When in Oamaru’s Victorian Precinct...” The Victorian Wardrobe is chock full of ensembles for ladies and gents that will have you swishing about town like you own the joint.
GRAINSTORE GALLERY 9 Tyne Street, Oamaru 027 261 3764 If you’ve ever wanted to crawl inside someone’s imagination and have a poke around, look no further than Donna Demente’s surreal studio and gallery space. Wallto-wall creativity and fantasy rolled up in an atmospheric highceilinged Victorian warehouse. It must be seen to be believed.
HERITAGE BICYCLE MUSEUM Cnr Harbour and Wansbeck Streets, Oamaru 027 439 5331
MIRROR CITY LETTERPRESS 9 Harbour St, Oamaru 03 434 5007 Rob inherited a load of old printing machinery and off he went, producing the most lovely letterpressed 54
Riding a penny farthing (or “ordinary bicycle” as it’s officially known) is far easier than it looks, especially in David’s capable hands. With a plethora of wheeled machines to choose from, you will be cruising like a pro in five minutes flat. Make sure you get the low-down on the history of cycling and see if you can take a sneaky peek in David’s HQ where modernity is definitely left at the front door!
SPECIAL OUT OF TOWN MENTIONS If you have a car or a nice person who can chauffeur you around, do make the effort to get to the following two stores. They are well worth the effort, I promise!
KINGS EMPORIUM https://www.facebook.com/KingsEmporium 12 RD-0, 32 Otepopo St, Herbert 022 439 5087
VINTAGE CHIC https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vintage-Chic 43 Queen Street, Waimate 03 689 7588
This store is exactly what you hope to find when you’re on a roadie, completely over driving and sick of not looking at pretty things! Stuffed full to the rafters with everything a vintage lover loves, you could quite easily spend an afternoon here and only get through a third of the shop. Enjoy!
A true diamond in the rough, the quality of Vintage Chic’s clothing, accessories and homewares is outstanding. At the time of writing, the owners were in France enjoying a sourcing trip for the store, so if you are looking for a tres bon piece of vintage in rural Canterbury, Vintage Chic has the merchandise for you!
55
Vintage-O-Rama, Wellington Photography - Little Death Photograper - James Yang Little Death Photography specialises in unique event photography and can provide clients with extra exposure through our style posts. For more information, contact sean@littledeath.co.nz and let us liven up your event with A Little Death.
56
57
This Issue: Leimomi Oakes Words and photography by Rose Jackson
Glory Days: Hi Leimomi, can you tell us about your background?
Who doesn’t want the opportunity to rifle through another vintage-loving person’s wardrobe, throwing open old suitcases and hat boxes, and raiding cupboards and drawers to discover their most treasured sartorial possessions? Intrigued by all the clothing, hats and accessories stashed away in private collections, Glory Days has decided to pay a regular visit to these wardrobes; camera in hand, to have a nosey, air some laundry and uncover a few of the interesting provenance stories attached to other people’s wardrobes.
Leimomi Oakes: I learned to sew when I was very young, and by high school was making most of my own clothes. I started out studying international relations, but realised once I was almost done with that degree that I’d be miserable in most of the jobs based on it, so got sensible and studied art history with a focus on textiles, and costume design with a focus on historical costuming. I was already working for a theatre costume shop to pay my way through university, and after graduating I went to work for museums.
We couldn’t think of a better person to begin our series with than Leimomi Oakes. Apart from being Glory Days’ resident historical costume expert, Leimomi has her own hugely successful and influential historical costuming blog, The Dreamstress, and has worked for national and international museums caring for priceless textiles.
GD: What got you interested in clothing?
Glory Days spent a morning with Leimomi over tea and cake, to view her impressive collection and unearth the tales behind her wardrobe.
LO: Not really. Mostly I focus on collecting the things that I find unexpectedly, or am given. My collection is more the story of my life than a planned theme.
58
LO: I can’t remember not being interested in clothing, and history. GD: Are there specific items or eras that you concentrate on collecting?
GD: Which is the first piece you paid for yourself?
GD: Best collection of items?
LO: My 1940s rayon Hawaiian shirt. I would have been about 14, and probably paid less than US$1 for it. I bought it to wear, and even altered it to have bust darts, because I didn’t know any better then. I’m leaving my alterations in, because they are part of its story.
LO: Probably my working collection of antique and vintage buttons, lace, thread, ribbons, thimbles, needles and other sewing notions. Some are just to enjoy visually, but many I use. I like that they are the tools of my trade both as a seamstress, and a historian.
GD: Item with the best provenance story?
GD: One piece you would save in a fire? LO: Luckily for me all my dearest pieces (nineteenthcentury quilted petticoat, the piece of spiderwebpatterned 1910s metal lace I wore as my wedding veil, my eighteenth-century Japanese fukusa and my 1920s Henri Bendel ‘butterfly’ frock) are all in the same suitcase, so if I saved one I’d save them all!
LO: Grandma’s blue hat. I inherited my love of collecting and sewing, along with her hats and fabric collection, from my paternal grandmother. After I was given her hats, I picked one to wear to go visit Grandpa. That hat turned out to be one he had bought her when they were courting in Joliet, Illinois. She admired it in the window of a posh department store on their first date, but said someone would be foolish to spend that much on a hat. The next time he came to visit he was carrying a hatbox, and in it was that hat. And of all Grandma’s hats (there were hundreds), I’d picked that one to wear. It was the last time I saw Grandpa before he passed.
59
GD: Your guilty pleasure piece?
GD: What is the best way to store precious pieces?
LO: My 1938 Made in NZ Matchless shoes. Sometimes I wear them, although I do think it is very naughty to wear shoes and clothes that are that old, just because they are so comfortable – more comfortable than any modern shoes I’ve ever worn.
LO: In acid-free boxes, padded with acid-free tissue to prevent creasing and stress on the seams, and wrapped in more tissue. More robust pieces can go on hangers padded out until they are the width of human shoulders, with extra ties inside the garment to help support their weight, and then can be wrapped in Tyvek or acid-free muslin. GD: Any tips for readers on how to organise their wardrobes? LO: I organise my items by what items are likely to be worn and used together. GD: What’s the point of collecting old garments? LO: As investments in knowledge; clothing and textiles are integral to history. They are the thing everyone wears closest to themselves, every day. They tell the human story on a very intimate, personal level.
GD: Item that doesn’t fit, but you love it anyway? LO: I don’t buy items to wear, because I don’t approve of wearing most vintage items; my collections are study or work pieces, so fit is irrelevant to me. GD: Favourite accessory? LO: My collection of marcasite and pearl jewellery. Some pieces date back to the nineteenth century, some are quite modern, most are 1930s to 1950s, and I can wear them all, knowing that I’m not harming them by wearing them.
60
61
By Claire “Glamour Guru” Gormly Face paint and powder the deadliest expression of vanity. It’s virtually impossible to pinpoint the beginnings of cosmetics. Throughout recorded history, regardless of skin colour or geographical location, both women and men have literally painted their faces. From Ancient Greece and Egypt up to Victorian England there were two camps: the women and men who believed painting their faces enhanced their beauty, and those who sought to ban cosmetics outright. This quote comes from the Middle Ages:
“The use of this Ceruse [a pale face paint] besides the rotting of teeth and the unsavoury breath which it causeth, doth turn fair creatures into infernall furies.” Richard Corson, in his book Fashions In Makeup From Ancient To Modern Times (Peter Owen, 2004), explains that the production of face paint remained remarkably similar throughout the centuries. White lead was dissolved in distilled water, sometimes mixed with animal products, mixed to a fine wash and painted onto the face. Alternatively, it was concentrated, dried and used as a powder. Ironically, the copious layers of paint and powder that people applied to make themselves look 62
gorgeous were gradually doing quite the opposite. It prematurely aged the skin, imbuing it with a blue tinge. It also caused gum disease, making teeth fall out and causing metallic breath. A modern list of lead-poisoning symptoms includes headaches, irritability, vomiting, seizures, muscle weakness and aggressive behaviour – no wonder the poor victims were described as “infernal furies”. In the mid 1500s, women whitened their faces, layer upon layer, so they would not have to remove it every day, and to fill in lines and wrinkles. The Elizabethans followed their queen’s lead and the older they grew, the more cosmetics they used. It was during this time that ultra-fashionable men were at least as made up as the ladies. Men had “dressing boxes” filled with pomades, powder puffs, soaps and scent. This cosmetic extravagance did not last, and the turn of the nineteenth century saw a steep decline in the social acceptability of cosmetics. Women turned to subtlety and deception. Countless books were written on how to achieve natural beauty, the importance of exercise and the effect of inner beauty, as opposed to artificiality. Women disregarded this advice in their droves. As rouge and enamel were now unacceptable, and obvious in their application, women turned
to powders. Pearl powders (made by dissolving seed peals or mother of pearl in acid) became popular. A product called Bismuth powder was a cheaper alternative. Bismuth had an unfortunate tendency to turn the face black when the wearer came into contact with sulphur fumes, a common occurrence due to the use of gas lighting. This of course caused immense distress to women who were trying to hide the fact that they used cosmetics! By 1860 the deception was beginning to wear off, and cosmetics were big business for some. They were creeping into shops, and the very first beauty parlours appeared. The most notorious of these was Madame Rachel’s. Madame Rachel advertised herself as an “Enameller” and women paid small fortunes for her services. Enamelling was simply painting the face, almost always with lead, due to the striking effects it could produce. The face would first be prepared with an alkaline wash. Wrinkles were filled in with paste, and white lead was painted on, followed by red. Finally veins were painted on. Such a heavy base required the wearer to be expressionless, lest the makeup crack. Madame Rachel was also doing a roaring trade in exotic-sounding cosmetic concoctions, including Magnetic Rock Dew Water from the Sahara. She was eventually jailed for fraud, her products discredited as merely tap water. But her influence has endured to the current day with her name given to a certain shade of face powder. Around this time, there was a spike in women presenting with paralysis. They were initially diagnosed with hysteria, but under questioning,
would reluctantly admit to using Lairds Bloom Of Youth, another lead-based product. In 1866, a huge leap was made in the safety of powder when it was discovered that zinc oxide did not discolour and would not harm the skin. This led to a boom in sales, and sounded the death knell for poisonous leadbased products. By the late 1800s, commercial cosmetics enterprise was the way of the future. Cosmetics were fast becoming an enormous industry and there was intense competition between face powder manufacturers. The demand from women who were now “powdering their noses” meant that packaging changed from cardboard boxes to pressed-powder compacts. In 1938, the reign of face powder came to an end. This was the year Max Factor invented a new kind of paint – the first water-soluble cake foundation, called Pan Cake. Originally invented to combat the powerful new lights used on Hollywood sets, it was so popular with actresses that Factor was quick to market his product to the masses. Foundation overtook powder in popularity until recently, when consumers became prey to the mass-marketing brilliance of Thin Lizzy, and its predecessor Natural Glow. We have moved through the ages with powder and paint; there has never been a point where we have not used them, and there may never be a point when they are obsolete. They have been our greatest asset, our biggest secret, and our deadliest poison. Achieving The Vintage Look With Powder The vintage look is based on a matte base that is NOT two-dimensional. • To achieve this look, powder is your best bet. If you feel you need foundation, make sure you finish it off with a loose powder to decrease the shine. • The best face powder is a medium-coverage, fine powder. Aim for as close a match to your skin colour as possible. You can contour with a slightly lighter shade under the eyes and above the cheekbones if you wish (a good performer’s trick!) • Start by applying moisturiser or primer; this creates a base for the powder to stick to. • Use a wide brush to apply the powder, and focus on the forehead, nose and cheeks – the bits that get the shiniest. • Flaunt your pretty compact in public whenever you 63 need to powder your nose!
Laced In:
A History of Corsets
I
By Leimomi Oakes
t’s a common scenario in movies from Brave to Titanic; the heroine is forced into a corset, her laces tightened until she can hardly breathe. An alternative version has the heroine demanding she be laced tighter and tighter until her waist fits an almost-impossibly small measure. The former is used to demonstrate that the heroine is independent and ahead of her time, while the latter paints a picture of a vain, frivolous woman. However, neither scene is accurate in a historical sense. Both focus on tight-lacing, and portray the corset as a pseudo-torture device imposed on women by an oppressive society. In reality, millions of women over almost four centuries lived and worked in corsets on a daily basis, and even chose the corset over the recommendations of the powers-that-be. The modern corset dates back to the sixteenth century. Fashionable garments were becoming increasingly fitted, and began to incorporate boning – usually baleen (whalebone) or cane – to maintain a smooth line over the body. Gradually the boned garment became a separate item of its own, that could be worn with multiple garments. By the midseventeenth century, boned undergarments were common among the upper classes, though still mainly for informal wear. The most formal garment of all, the robe de coer, worn until the end of the eighteenth century, had built-in boning and visible back lacing.
Eighteenth century corsets were called ‘stays’, and created a stiff, cone-shaped torso. In France they were worn primarily by the elite, but in England, even the poor had a pair that were “never washed although worn every day for years.” Stays fastened with a single cord that laced through the holes in a spiral. This meant the wearer was jerked from side to side as her stays were laced, so women held on to a support when lacing, creating the classic image of a corsetee clutching her bedpost. Early-nineteenth century fashion was inspired by ancient Greece and Rome, with an emphasis on the bust rather than the waist. Stays were discarded in favour of lightly boned ‘jumps’ and ‘corsets’, a term which originally meant an unboned quilted bodice. A tourist to Paris in 1802 reported on the unstructured French fashions: “THREE petticoats? No one wears more than one! STAYS? Every body has left off even corsets!” When waisted fashions returned in the 1820s, the new boned garments were still called corsets rather than stays. Technological innovation in the nineteenth century made corsets easier to put on, and to lace tight. Metal eyelets appeared in the 1830s, and by the 1850s almost every corset included a metal slot and stud busk (the rigid part at the front), which, along with criss-cross lacing, allowed women to put on and tighten their own corsets. Suddenly, even a factory worker who lived alone could put on a corset, and their use became ubiquitous across all classes. In New Zealand, corsets were almost universally worn, to the extent that some doctors claimed the harm they caused pregnant women was responsible for the decline in the Maori birthrate. The corsets imported into New Zealand usually had cheaper metal boning (which rusted) rather than expensive baleen boning.
64
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT CORSET
A true corset is quite different from a lingerie garment that has stretch; it is designed to fit snugly and should feel comfortable and supportive. People often think the corset will be uncomfortable and restrictive, and they are often surprised at how good a well-fitting corset feels. A corset is made with several layers of fabric, steel boning, a front steel closure (called a busk) and back lacing. All these features allow for proper fitting. When a customer asks for a corset, I start by determining why they want one and they usually fit into four distinct categories: • • • • • •
to go under a wedding or ball dress to help with back support to help with weight loss or to train the waist to wear as an outer garment on its own or over a dress to show the waist
There are two types of corset: the full corset which covers the bust and hips, and the underbust corset. It's important to consider your body shape. The full corset assumes your waist is significantly smaller than your bust and hips. The underbust corset works on every shape as it only deals with the waist.
Late-nineteenth century fashion placed the most emphasis on a small waist, but actual waist reduction was minimal. Studies of late-nineteenth century garments have demonstrated that the average corseted woman had a waist that was only 2” smaller, in comparison to her hips and bust, than the average modern woman. Corsets were commonly sold in waist measurements from 18” to 30”. Larger sizes were available by special order, but few makers offered smaller sizes. Even Scarlett O’Hara’s famous 17” waist is a myth. The waistline of the 1860s-inspired green dress worn in the picnic scene of Gone with the Wind measures 21 ½” inches – a fair bit more than the 17 inches claimed in the film, and not much of a reduction for petite Vivien Leigh. The twentieth century saw a flurry of new corset styles: first the ‘S’ bend, which thrust the bosom forward, and then the longline corset, which reduced the pressure on the waist, focusing instead on an overall slim line. The corset disappeared entirely in the 1920s. Control undergarments reappeared in the 1930s and ‘50s, but the day of the corset was over, probably for good, as corsets have been blamed for every manner of ill health from miscarriages and fainting to the less plausible “ugly children”. Still, there has never been a medically documented case of death by corset, and in New Zealand alone there were no less than two incidences of corsets saving women’s lives: once when a corset prevented a woman’s drunken partner from stabbing her to death, and another time when a bullet bounced off a fortunate woman’s busk.
The waist is really the most important measurement when selecting a corset, but the measurement people frequently overlook is their height. Often customers tell me they own corsets that do not allow them to sit down. While it is tempting to get a corset as long as possible to cover the hips, the boning will be a major issue on a shorter person. A well-fitting corset should create a flow down through the waist and over the hips without any bulges, and should allow the wearer to sit comfortably without leaning back or being poked by bones. As an undergarment, the corset presents a challenge for today's fashions. Although it will give you a nice line, one must consider that the corset has 'depth'. It has layers of fabric, boning, a closure and lacing, all of which will be visible under a thin dress. If the outer clothing is layered or the fabric is thick or ruched, there is usually no problem. But so often customers expect the corset to be invisible. For invisibility, the only real option is 'Spanx'-style underwear made of flesh-coloured elastic fabric, but that will never give the curves and is often less comfortable than a good corset. At the Corseterie we don't encourage extreme waist training, but for those customers wanting to trim their waist we have waist-training options. But please don't expect to buy one tiny corset and train your waist down in it! Each corset should always fit well, and waist training must be done incrementally. It will probably take two or three corsets to bring the waist down significantly. It's important to take on this project slowly and put the body through the least amount of stress. "No pain, no gain" should not be the rule off thumb. At any age, a well-fittingg corset will improve posture re and shape, and give the wearer er confidence without discomfort.
By
JThePCorseterie ill eterson
65
FROM THE FOOTLIGHTS
Hello Sailor!
Eltham Town Hall
By Clarissa Dunn Most visitors to Eltham go straight to the cheese factory on Bridge Street, but I headed in the opposite direction down New Zealand’s first tar-sealed street, and swung a right into Stanners Street, ending up at the Town Hall. The Town Hall is at the heart of Eltham and has been the focus of entertainment and events in the area since 1911. Two members of the Friends of the Town Hall, Karen Christian and Alex Ballantyne, met me at the front entrance and proudly flung open the doors. Fifteen minutes later I was clambering up a ladder headed 40 feet above the stage.
Standing on the fly floor felt like being on the deck of a ship; thick ropes sat in looped piles, and large backdrops, suspended from the grid, looked like the sails of a galleon. It smelled of old wood, rope and birds’ nests, and a cool breeze slipped through the same gap the birds must have used.
This got me thinking about sailors. No, not like that. Ships and sailing have a lot more in common with theatres than you might think, even in landlocked Eltham.
This is more than a romantic, nautical analogy: theatrical rigging has its origins in sailing rigging. From Elizabethan times, ex-sailors were employed to operate the ropes of early fly systems,
66
communicating in loud-pitched whistles to signal scenery changes. Whistling was forbidden on stage to prevent it from being interpreted as a fly command and it is still considered bad luck today, despite the absence of whistled commands.
pit. Behind a stunning waterfall curtain the stage is, rather unusually, raked. Ladies appearing on stage have been warned to watch the length of their skirts. Another feature of the stage is a trap door.
The persistent sound of a cow mooing snapped me out of my crow’s nest reverie, and I headed back down the ladder to the earth that has earned Eltham the title ‘Cradle of the Taranaki Dairy Industry’. The hall’s pitted stretch of matai floor has supported a range of entertainment over the years, from balls to boxing matches and, more recently, housed a set for the New Zealand film Predicament. The building also witnessed the suffering of patients hospitalised here during the Spanish influenza epidemic that followed World War I, as well as the joyous celebration of the 1918 Victory Ball. When the hall doubled as a picture theatre, theatre-goers’ feet would rest in sawdust to prevent the floor being scratched. When the hall was needed for a dance, the sawdust was swept up and stored in sacks. Locals found a variety of creative ways to polish the floor including driving a Baby Austin around with a bag of sawdust tied to the back. Hidden beneath a removable section of flooring, immediately in front of the stage, is the orchestra
I also spied a 1920s dimmer board – a relic from the New Plymouth Opera House; historic graffiti chronicling productions throughout history, starting with Dianne Develops; early in-built hearing aids in the gallery seating; and even vintage movie projectors. The old Erneman projectors are housed in an addon room at the rear of the dress circle. Although the room detracts from the integrity of the original 67
Edwardian façade, it was decided during the hall’s restoration that it was part of the building’s story and so it remains in place. It obscures what was a lovely window, and replaced the balcony from which major announcements were made, including the results of elections and the start and finish of World War II.
From the outside, the building looks partEdwardian, part-barn. The façade is made of timber but imitates stone construction, and the sides are covered in corrugated iron, giving it a distinctly Kiwi feel. Local architect John Alfred Duffil was 24 years old when he designed it. He went on to design hundreds of Taranaki buildings including the municipal building next door. Eltham is small but surprising. It’s a town of firsts, and a selection from the list includes the first (and probably only) water reservoir painted like a round of cheese; the first commercial butter factory; and the first-ever World Axemen’s Carnival in 1901. If its walls had eyes, then the Town Hall would have witnessed much of Eltham’s history. In addition to being a fabulous theatre space, the building is a repository of treasured memories, many of which, amusing and alarming, have been captured in The Eltham Town Hall: Memories of a Community Treasure, edited by Karen Christian.
If you are interested in hiring the Eltham Town Hall, enquiries can be made by calling the Eltham Library on 0800 111 323 or emailing contact@stdc.govt.nz 68
print design p h o t o g r ap h y i l l u s t rat i o n and more n a t h a l i e . p. m . g r e g o r y @ g m a i l . c o m
69
TUNE TIME with tina turntables
brand of messed-up family another time, and it’s NOT as hillbilly as that sounds…) Jane would never be satisfied that it was in fact Christmas until we heard it played on the radio. The lyrics are actually pretty cool in terms of the Christmas truce that some observed during war time, and it involves Snoopy, whom one cannot deny is pretty damned awesome.
Glory Days would like to introduce our new music columnist: Tina Turntables. Tina is one of three fine 95bFM DJs who present Back on the Good Foot, on Sunday afternoons from 2–4pm. Once every three weeks, Glory Days heads up to the studio when Tina’s at the decks to have a gossip about the latest vintage goings-on and play some sweet old sounds. Make sure you tune in to 95bFM on the radio if in Auckland or online here (link to www.95bfm.com).
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Christmas music is one of those genres that conjures up memories of heaving malls, in full consumerist feeding frenzy, with jingly bells piped through shitty speakers on high rotate. Of course Christmas exacerbates most stressful issues: money, religion, family and worst of all obligation. Which is probably why almost everyone eats themselves into full food coma. Not everyone has a wonderful family, not everyone has loads of money (I’m gonna leave religion out of it for now, being a happily fencesitting agnostic). So for me, Christmas music, like all the music I love, needs to run the gamut of emotions and experiences.
Snoopy’s Christmas, The Royal Guardsman, 1967 It would be remiss to not include this horrible cliché. It reached number one in the New Zealand pop charts in 1967 and remains a popular Christmas song here, unlike ‘oldie’ radio stations elsewhere in the world. My aunt/sister (yeah I’ll get into my particular 70
Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt, 1953 and 1954 Another firm favourite, and it’s a bit naughty which is always pleasant. The lyrics are a tongue-in-cheek riff on a Christmas list, wanting extravagant gifts like sables, yachts and trinkets from Tiffany’s. This is one of the very first novelty Christmas songs, and one of the few written by a woman. This was a huge hit for Eartha Kitt (I prefer the more up-tempo later arrangement), but has been covered many times by the great and the terrible, from Madonna, RuPaul, Mae West and Kylie to the Pussycat Dolls, Shakira, Everclear and Taylor Swift. Other saucy tunes: Amos Milburn Merry Christmas Baby, Pattie Page Boogie Woogie Santa Claus, Clarence Carter Backdoor Santa (filth!), and Phil Spector & Artists Silent Night (if you just plain want to be creeped out).
they are amusing and at the very least disturbingly revealing. Who could ask for more? Other “arroooo!!” tunes: John Lee Hooker Blues for Christmas, Dean Martin Christmas Blues, Darlene Love Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (The Raveonettes also do a great synthy/electro version.)
Purple Snowflakes, 1964, and Pretty Little Baby, 1965, Marvin Gaye Purple Snowflakes is the true definition of a “swoon tune”, and certainly the most beautiful Christmas song I could think of. It’s from Gaye’s early Tamla Motown period and reminds me of Sam Cooke. The descending piano is like snowflakes falling gently to the ground, and Gaye’s falsetto is just heavenly. Pretty Little Baby, which I discovered first, is even more divine than Purple Snowflakes, just because pleading for someone’s love is intrinsically more heartbreaking than a song about snow. I found it on a Paul Weller compilation (that man has incredible taste in R&B and Soul), and Master Crawley (one of my co-hosts on 95bfm’s Back On the Good Foot) discovered Purple Snowflakes and excitedly shared it with me, as I had introduced him to Pretty Little Baby. Anyone with even a modicum of emotion, even the most hardened meat worker, would surely melt upon it entering their ear canal.
Don’t Believe in Christmas, The Sonics, 1965 For the “I hate Christmas” club, a song with outstanding rhythm and fun – and frankly it’s a great drunken sing-along tune. A hugely influential garage band (and probably the most name-dropped at one stage, amusingly referenced in LCD Soundsystem’s Losing my Edge) and often cited as the first punk/ grunge band. Like most garage bands from the ‘60s, they drew heavily on R&B music as a source of inspiration, with their most famous covers being Money and Have Love Will Travel. Other songs guaranteed NOT to be played in malls: The Sonics Santa Claus, The Ramones Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight) and Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band There Ain’t No Santa Claus on The Evening Stage.
Other “awww” tunes: The Ronettes Sleigh Ride, Elvis Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me, Bessie Smith At The Christmas Ball.
CHRISTMAS SPIRITS, JULIA LEE, 1948 For the Christmas blues section, I’ve chosen a woman I’m completely obsessed with, as I love the simplicity and sparseness of these recordings. Lee is sass incarnate and wonderfully filthy even in this rather depressing song, where she’s extolling the virtues of having a man thusly: “When he tells you he loves you, you know he’s lying, ahhh but aint it grand?” I don’t agree with her lyrics on this one, but 71
H I FI DE LITY
SWAMPLAND By Mandy Neugebauer. Photos by Shine The Dog Photography
I’ve been dreaming of having a band like this since I was 19. Everything I’ve done so far has led to this.
New Auckland band Swampland is dedicated to resurrecting the sound of sixties garage. They have swiftly moved from a supporting to a headlining act, and word of mouth alone is now filling gigs to capacity. Looking like characters from a Tarantino film, and sounding like they mean business, it’s easy to see why. So who is behind it all, and where did it begin? Mandy Neugebauer chats to founding member Tony Daunt.
And playing altogether? I started with guitar lessons at 10, joined my first school band at 13.
Swampland is Tony Daunt (vocals, guitar), Chris Kemp (drums), Jamie Vodanavich (bass), Thomas Landon-Lane (lead guitar). How would you describe your sound to those unfamiliar with garage? I like to call it ‘swamp’, but I’d describe it as slow surf. The band’s sound draws on all my musical experience in Australia. Where did the inspiration for the band name come from, and how is it relevant to your sound? It comes from Kim Salmon’s band The Scientists, and their song Swampland. It pretty much depicted the style of music I wanted to play. How long have you been playing this particular style of music? 72
Cool! What kind of music was that? Punk. We got expelled a lot! Punk is the background of my music. It’s where it all started for me. Out of punk came the punk rocker. And after that? At 15 I played with a few bands like Red Cross and AK Scum, and then Richard Holden’s music extravaganza, The Circle Game at the Glue Pot. How many instruments can you play, and what are they? Double bass, electric bass, guitar. Who would be on top of your list of bands/artists to play with on tour? Chris Isaak. What can punters expect when they come to one of your gigs? It’s important to me to be entertaining as well as musical. So... I hope we’re interesting enough to watch, as well as listen to!
Do you ever aspire to play behind chicken wire? Not anymore! When I played gigs in Brisbane during the ‘80s, it would have been a good idea though. Name a musical influence you think would surprise your fans: Fleetwood Mac. As a kid, did you slick your hair back and sing into a hairbrush? Well, the first time I dressed like that was when I was 11. It was mufti day at school and I had seen the movie Grease which had just been released. I had gotten some Brylcreem from the local store, borrowed my mum’s brown leather jacket and rolled my jeans up. I never looked back! Have you played with or supported any artists our readers may know? Supported Emmylou Harris at Vector Arena when I played with The Grifters. On YouTube, search ‘Swampland Daddy’ and ‘Swampland Down In The Ground’. Our website is www.swampland.co.nz or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/swamplandnz
73
cinemascope
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET By Mark Roulston I’m often asked what it is about classical cinema that I find so constantly enthralling, and although there are myriad reasons I could give, perhaps my favourite is the sense of surprise that comes from peering through a window into a bygone era. Miracle on 34th Street is a good example; a film made famous for its wholesome representation of Christmas, but beneath its festive wrapping exists a revealing study of social instability and modern anxiety. “Christmas is a frame of mind.” So says Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn), an elderly gentleman employed by lavish New York department store Macy’s to fill the role of Santa Claus, a position left empty by the drunken incompetence of his predecessor. Kris, however, believes himself to be the real Santa, appearing at a time when the meaning of Christmas has been forgotten, buried under the onslaught of crass commercialism. What better place than a department store to remind everyone what the holiday is about? 74
Kris takes it upon himself to convince non-believing Doris (Maureen O’Hara), and her precocious young daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) that he is in fact Santa. Yet his habit of sending shoppers to competitor Gimbels in search of gifts lands him in hot water with Macy’s management and the nefarious store psychologist Granville Sawyer (Porter Hall), who insists Kris be committed. Like so many films of the era, Miracle on 34th Street ends up in a courtroom – that bastion of American freedom, as Kris fights to prove his true identity. With the aid of do-gooder lawyer (and Doris’ love
With the gift of hindsight, some troubling issues about the social climate in 1948 are what make Miracle on 34th Street such a pleasure to unwrap. The film is ostensibly about reclaiming the meaning of the season, and representing the cynicism of modernity. Doris, an apartment-dwelling single mother with a high-powered job, is the very antithesis of family values at the time. Sure she’s successful, but her unconventional situation offers an uneasy portrait of female societal roles, and the film is constantly berating the audience about how wrong she is.
Interest) Fred Gailey (John Payne), and culminating in a now-iconic scene involving the delivery of thousands of letters to Santa into the courtroom, all is wrapped up with a neat, inevitable little bow.
Most tellingly, young Susan’s Christmas wish is a house in the suburbs away from the fastpaced world of her mother’s job, obviously with new father, Fred, as part of the package. In the end Miracle on 34th Street isn’t about whether Kris is in fact the real Santa Claus, but about the restoration of a more acceptable family equilibrium for the time. The film can be enjoyed for its seasonal sweetness, but there is a dash of bitterness in this particular Christmas treat.
75
Net Worth By Melanie Freeman American vintage blogger Brittany of Va-Voom Vintage ( http://www.vavoomvintageblog. com/) takes time out from her busy schedule to share her love of vintage with Glory Days. A successful blogger, Etsy store owner and mother of two, Brittany is also the founder of popular e-zine Hey Doll! (http:// heydollvintagemag.blogspot.co.nz/). Can you tell us a little about yourself? I’m a housewife from the suburbs of St Louis. I live in a little 1930s house in a historic town near the Missouri River with my husband Pj and our two little ones, Olivia (age three) and Rhys (age two). After my daughter was born, I spent a lot of time in my pyjamas until one day I realised that I can be just as comfortable in a day dress and I’d feel a hundred times better about myself. In December 2009, I started my blog, Va-Voom Vintage. I have always loved fashion history and when I found out that there were people out there wearing pieces of history every day, I wanted to do it too! I started my blog to document my new love for vintage and my personal style. After blogging for a few years, I opened my Etsy shop to share some of my finds and started an e-zine, Hey Doll! Vintage Magazine as a way to involve the community and share our passion and inspiration with each other.
How do you keep the balance between being a mama, blogger and magazine editor? Oh, that’s such a good question, and one that I get asked frequently. Aside from the blog, the ezine and my kids, I also have a lot of time-consuming hobbies like knitting, gardening, sewing and just relaxing for a while! The key is a solid, reasonable schedule. I also wake up very early to schedule my Twitter tweets, whip up some breakfast and water the garden. Although my kids are very small, we do a lot of activities together too. My daughter Olivia loves to help me wash dishes so she can play in the bubbles or sit and cut up bits of scrap fabric while I sew. I started my blog when Olivia was just three months old so my kids have been a big part of the blog since the beginning. They often appear in outfit photos and they’re excellent thrift-store shoppers! Olivia is starting to get a really good eye, which makes me so proud. The best thing that I have to help me balance everything is my husband, Pj. He is my blog
76
photographer and also helps wrangle the kids when I need a little extra computer time on weekends. I notice that you share a lot of your knowledge via tutorials. What inspires you and keeps you motivated to share what you know? More than anything, my readers inspire and motivate me. They’re so thirsty for knowledge, like myself, and always have great questions about beauty, fashion, sewing, blogging and vintage lifestyle. Every email from a curious reader or question about “How’d you do that thing?” inspires me to write a tutorial. Although photographing the process of sewing or styling something is time-consuming and not easy with the little ones around, I love to show others how to do things on their own. I’ve always been a do-it-yourself kind of girl. I can’t go to craft fairs anymore without thinking “I could make that myself!” When I figure out how to do something really neat or make something that no one thought they could make, I put that on my to-do list for tutorials. Every once in a while, I feel like I lose my tutorial mojo or I run out of ideas and then a reader sends me an email asking for help and it all comes back!
Most of my tutorial inspiration comes from learning about the way life was back then. Whether you wear vintage fashion or live in a vintage home, there’s always the desire and need to learn. Why did clothes look like that? Why were these fabrics popular during that period? When you learn the history behind the things you love to wear and surround yourself with, it all comes quite naturally. Do you have a favourite decade for fashion and what do you love about clothes from this time? I’m a history and fashion lover so the 1940s is my favourite decade for style. From 1940 to 1949, there was so much going on that had a serious impact on what people wore. History always dictates fashion but the 1940s – what an amazing time for style! Unlike the fabulous 1920s when many people could run out and buy the most gorgeous silk frock they could find, women had to get really creative and resourceful with their fashion choices in the ‘40s and that’s how I’ve always lived my life. As a teenager, I spent a lot of summer days with my Great Grandma Alma. She was a young woman in the ‘30s and ‘40s and she taught me how to sew. She told me stories about the feedsack dress that her mother made for her first day of school and about the satin dress she wore to her school dance. She came from a very long line of talented quilters, and many of her best tales involved something that was sewn. Life was very difficult, and at times scary, for women who lived in that time but they made the best of it with what they had and managed to look classy and glamorous. Grandma may not have had a dime in her pocket to buy a burger from the street vendor but she could take a needle and thread and look like a million! Although I adore my full-skirted, fancy ‘50s dresses and am really starting to love some of the crazy prints of the ‘60s, I love my boring grey, brown and navy ‘40s dresses most of all because behind each of those simple frocks is the story of an amazing woman who could wear that dress every day for a week and you’d never know that it wasn’t the same one. 1940s fashion is for the tough girl who really knows how to take care of business and look good doing that and that’s what I strive to do every day. 77
Where do you like to hunt and shop for new items to put in your wardrobe and home? I’m a mom on a budget so my favourite place to shop is the thrift store! Missouri is an amazing place for vintage. It’s not as popular here as it is on the coasts and other parts of the world, so vintage is very plentiful and affordable in our thrift stores. I’m proud to be teaching my kids to be good thrift-store shoppers at a young age as well. Living in Historic St Charles, we have a lot of beautiful old homes full of antiques. When spring and fall roll around and the weather is nice, they open up to the public for wonderful estate sales and garage sales full of hidden treasures. The best goods can be found when you’re brave enough to dig. I’ve been to a few warehouses and private estates that required a dust mask and
78
safety glasses to get in and find the best vintage. I love the thrill of the hunt and getting dirty. Every day is another vintage adventure!
Streptococcus pneumoniae nearly had you shimmy your last shimmy in February. How are you doing now? Are you back to 100%? I am running on a cool 95%. I’m not quite back to my regular weight, and I’m working hard at eating well. I’m exercising a lot too, and gaining it all back in muscle. It dropped to 80 pounds (38 kilos) and I was in a wheelchair for a while. I am not shooting much lately and am keeping my shows to a minimum, until I get back to (or better than) my old self, whatever that means to me. The few shows I have been choosing are quality and fun. I just performed a show with Catherine D’Lish again, and it is not hard to feel humbled and grateful. It was certainly scary, but I was faithful, as were those who love me. Emotionally I am much better too, knowing now there is even less time to waste. The amazing family, friends and fans have restored my faith in humanity. How has your moving to Texas affected your performing career? Would you suggest similar to other performers wanting to have more of a performance career?
The last few months of the year have been burlesque heaven for fans and performers alike. A major highlight of course was the New Zealand Burlesque Festival held in Wellington in early October. There was a feast of international performers and local stars (over 50, I counted them!). This year’s festivities included the inaugural Golden Garter awards. The weekend also boasted at least 13 workshops where folk could learn the craft of burlesque, a ball, an expo and a meet and greet.It was followed by a New Zealand tour. In December, Venus Star is bringing Diamond Carousel to Auckland, and exciting news.... big breath...headlining is World’s Reigning Queen of Burlesque 2012, Imogen Kelly! Alongside her, an assorted array of talented performers will be on stage on the 6th of December, at the CGs Whiskey bar 214 Karangahape Road Auckland. Check out Carousel Cabaret Wellington’s Facebook page for more details. On the eve of the New Zealand Burlesque Festival, I caught up with Eva Strangelove to find out how she is going after a brush with death in February this year when she contracted streptococcus pneumoniae.
Moving to Texas has kept me inspired, motivated and therefore busy. The scene is huge in Texas, and there is always something going on, for all tastes. There are national and international champs based out of Austin, and the scene here is the friendliest in the world. Everyone so welcoming and supportive of each other, while keeping the standards high. I perform regularly both locally and regionally - save for the past few months while I ease myself back into it. I have been working hard on my current favorite act, involving chinese feather fans and my surprising uses for them. This costume is special as it was made in New Zealand, by Anastasia Elektra and David “Freak” Roil. My other signature act, is to Flight Of The Conchord’s “Most Beautiful Girl in the Room”. Cathy Tree Costumier graced my backside with the costume for that one. What tips would you give to hobby burlesque performers wanting to push themselves and their careers further? I cannot speak for the current NZ burlesque scene anymore, but I would certainly suggest anyone who can visit overseas to perform, do so of course. There is a whole world out here, and it’s getting bigger. Looking to make burlesque into an actual “career” will always provide a challenge, as we all know it 79
is an expensive hobby, and you will spend much more than you’ll make. I still describe myself as a “Professional Hobbyist”. The festival circuit will get your name out there but unless you can afford all of that travel - and maintain your world class act consider it a working holiday. Austin-ite’s are spoiled for choice, with many shows each week, often competing with one another for the burlesque audience. That being said, any advice to someone wanting to push past the norm and make a career must really do that - treat it like an actual, eight hours a day job. That means lots of time at the gym, at the yoga mat, at the sewing machine, at the dance studio and at the computer to create the hype and then sell it. The audience will reward you with unwavering fandom. How does one go about getting burlesque work overseas? There’s a lot of research to do, to find which places you’d want to visit anyway and what scene is there. Then research which of the producers there create the kind of shows you want to be involved in, and discover whom have the steady fan bases and solid reputations (just like performers, not all show producers are created equal). Festivals are a terrific way to showcase yourself, in particular to other performers and producers (and you’re guaranteed to make a friend or ten). Be sure to have an impressive (even if it’s just impressive-sounding... fake it till you make it) biography and some good footage on YouTube or Vimeo (so they can see how well you perform - it can just be you in your living room if the act itself is good enough!). If any of you Kiwi Burlesquers want to come to Austin TX, you can stay with me and I will keep you booked from Dallas to Corpus Christi! This is, in fact, how I met my “Burlesque Baby Sister” Sarah Marie Summer (ex- Auckland, now Sydney), whom I didn’t know before I picked her up at the Austin airport. I looked at her body of work, knew then that I believed in her and when I mentioned to her on Facebook that she should come and I’ll book her, she took me up on it! Now she is a BFF. She broke many hearts from here to Dallas. Kerry (MisRed) and Danny Rodda also came, and Kerry tore the house down at the Legislate This! political-themed event to raise awareness about women’s health and Planned Parenthood. The producers would hire her again in a New York minute. I’m still working on getting Venus Starr here each time she visits LA. 80
Here’s Looking at You, Kid. A rather un-Victorian Christmas by Malayka Yoseph I heard a rumour that Queen Victoria would tuck into a juicy royal swan on Christmas day. That buying gifts, sending cards and popping Christmas crackers began as a marketing ploy. That without the genius of Charles Dickens, December 25th would forever be just another cold, dreary English day. Whatever the case, there isn’t a child in the Western world who doesn’t wait longingly for that one special day every year. We’ve only ever celebrated one ‘Victorian’ (aka English) Christmas in my family, and quite frankly we found the whole experience a bit strange. Drinking champagne for breakfast wasn’t bad, although by lunchtime we were slurring. Trying to admire a colourfully lit Christmas tree in the blazing afternoon sun didn’t make sense though. Trying to work your way through a leg of lamb, mushy peas, gravy, cranberry sauce and a sickly sweet fruit cake sometime between lunch and dinner just baffled us. And what were we supposed to do with the evergrowing pile of Christmas cards that arrived in the mail from people we really didn’t know? I have vague memories of what Christmas used to be like. We knew nothing about Kiwi traditions, and so clung to our German ones despite the blistering hot days. We spent hours trudging through the bush looking for a good tree to drag home; we cursed as our sweet, spicy biscuits melted off the bench before they were baked; and we waited for what felt like an
eternity for it to get dark enough to sneak in and open presents. The lounge was out of bounds to us all day, the curtains were drawn so we couldn’t peek in, and every year we had to take that dreaded afternoon nap so that baby Jesus could come and deliver our presents. Then when dinner was finally over, the red satin fabric was untied from the door handle and we held our breath as we crept into the lounge. Soft classical music played in the background, the smell of pine trees filled the air and real candles flickered on the branches. It was nothing short of magical. The same delicate ornaments had once hung on the tree when my mum was young, and the biscuit recipes belonged to my great grandmothers. Of course these days, my Christmas has become a Kiwi/ German hybrid tradition. I’m sure my German ancestors would look down their long, crooked noses at us if they knew that Christmas Eve was spent standing around a barbecue with salty wet hair and a beer in our hand. All this had me thinking about how it was now up to us to create the next generation of traditions. We live in such a different world to our greatgrandparents, and yet it’s that old-world charm that makes these occasions so magical. It’s forgetting that Coca Cola created the fat bellied Santa that children get so excited about, it’s realising that we don’t need the latest gadget to feel joy and that all you really need is family and great food. These days Christmas is a whirlwind experience that begins on Christmas Eve and ends sometime after Boxing Day. By the time we’re done, we have celebrated Christmas in every different style, with all sides of the family. We’ve rushed across town, jetted to Wellington, politely eaten until we’re groaning, smiled until our cheeks hurt and exchanged endless gifts. By the end of it we always agree that things have gotten out of hand and next year we’ll simplify it. By Easter we’re already trying to figure out how to best run the Christmas gauntlet again. Those Victorians have a lot to answer for! 81
mend make do and
Step 1: Paper
By Sarah Lancaster fron Sew Love Tea Do
it’s a snap! Add more soul to your tabletop this Christmas with your own vintage-inspired handmade crackers, and swap the plastic toys and cringe-worthy jokes for vintage gems and merry fun facts. At least one of your crackers should contain the question: “When were Christmas crackers first invented?” (A subtle hint: you are reading our Victorian issue...)
you will need:
Cut your paper to about A4 size. Place a cardboard roll in the centre lengthways. Mark on the paper where the roll ends and again 1cm out from this, and a further 1cm out. These are guidelines for cutting your diamonds.
Step 2: Diamonds
To cinch in your cracker neatly, fold your paper where the middle mark is. Along this folded edge cut out triangles 1cm in length and 2cm apart. When unfolded these will be diamond shapes. Repeat at both ends.
• • • • • • • • 82
Recycled vintage papers: Vintage craft magazines, music sheets or maps Cardboard toilet rolls (1 per cracker) Twine, ribbon or wool Goodies (vintage brooches, beads, thimbles, or buttons) Vintage sewing patterns for tissue paper hat Scrap of pretty paper for joke/message/merry fun facts Scissors and glue stick Cracker snaps from www.funtimeaccessories. co.nz
Step 3: Hats
To make your Christmas hat, fold a length (approx. 55cm) of vintage sewing pattern backwards and forwards like a zigzag or a fan. Then cut into this with a zigzag to create a crown shape. Unfold and glue the ends together to make a circle.
Step 5: Goodies
Gather your chosen trinkets to stuff inside. Rather than plastic not-so-fantastic, you can find some gems at op shops for a similar small token price. Bundle these up with your hat and message ready to go inside your cracker.
Step 6: Bundle Step 4: Message Hand write, stamp or typewrite your messages on small paper scraps: jokes, merry fun facts about Christmas, dares, or good fortunes.
Place your cracker snap inside the toilet roll tube, and secure with a glue stick. Pop on top of your bundle of goodies. Roll the paper around the tube and secure with a dot of glue. With the twine, ribbon or wool, cinch the ends of your crackers and tie a nice snug bow.
So here’s to the great Tom Smith – the English lollyshop owner who invented Christmas crackers back in 1847 by adding a snap to festive bon bon lollies. And to all a good night! 83
’ n i k o o C s ’ What ? ’ n i k o o L d o Go A Victorian Christmas Spread By Debbie Hodder “God Bless Us Everyone.” These were the famous last words of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, as the Cratchit family was about to carve a sumptuous turkey. But was this an accurate portrayal of a Victorian Christmas dinner? Would the average family have been able to afford a turkey? Probably not. The Cratchits were lucky to have a rich uncle to provide one. England and the colonies were ruled by a strict class system. This was a time of “haves” and “have-nots” and money determined what you might eat for Christmas dinner. The other important factor was location: food supply was generated from the local area. You couldn’t pop down to Pak’nSave and stock up on whatever you wanted, even if you could afford to. Geography was key. The poorest people might gorge on plump oysters if they lived close to the sea, but oysters might be a rare and expensive delicacy for inland inhabitants. So what did people eat for Christmas dinner? The wealthy in England would have enormous quantities of food. This bounty might include roast beef or pork, pigeon, chicken, duck, goose, turkey, pheasant, swan or even peacock. It might include all of the above. Poorer people in England would generally have similar meals to those they ate most days because that was what they were able to raise. However, roast beef might be a Christmas treat even if they raised 84
beef themselves. Why would that be a treat, you ask? Well, most dishes included small amounts of meat combined with other foods, rather than a whole roast. Other more common cuts of meat would have been kidney, heart, liver, tripe (stomach lining), ox tail, feet and head. Remember, nothing went to waste! Across the Atlantic, Americans would eat roast turkey or pork, boiled ham or chicken. Australians and New Zealanders often tried to stick with English tradition and eat the traditional foods, but these were not as tempting on long, hot summer days, so summer meals such as cold roast beef or ham or local beef or lamb on the barbecue were enjoyed instead. Seafood was also common in coastal areas. There are two dishes that seem to transcend class, income, location and time: mincemeat pies and plum pudding. We will focus on these for our Victorian Christmas recipes. It seems that even the poorest of the poor had plum pudding to look forward to. This is an original recipe from Victorian days that is still easy to follow. One last word of advice before preparing your plum pudding… be sure to make it on Stir-up Sunday. Stir-Up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent, is considered the final day on which one can make the Christmas fruit cakes and puddings to give them enough time to age before being served. All family members must take a hand in the stirring, and a special wooden spoon (in honour of Christ’s crib) is used. The stirring must be a in a clockwise direction, with eyes shut while making a secret wish.
Plum Pudding Deleniator, 1901
In Victorian times, most dried fruits and many berries were referred to as “plums”. This explains why plum pudding was actually made of raisins. Mix four cups stale breadcrumbs, 1 cup chopped suet*, 1 cup molasses, 2 eggs, 2 cups raisins, 2 cups milk, 1 level tsp soda, 1 tsp powdered cloves, 2 tsp cinnamon, half tsp each mace, allspice and salt, 1 cup chopped almonds, half cup currants; boil unceasingly in buttered mould for three and a half hours.
more meat. Hunting and gathering was the thing. So a mincemeat pie in Medieval days would have been primarily meat flavoured with sugar, spices and dried fruits. If you are turning up your nose, hold on and think about it for a minute. There are many savoury dishes that contain meat, spices and some manner of fruit! As time progressed, the population grew and meat became scarcer as well as more expensive. As dried fruits became more plentiful, the meat slowly disappeared and the fruits increased until the suet was the only meat product left to give it a delicious, rich taste. What we think of as a fruit mince pie has now remained largely unchanged since Victorian times.
To serve: Make a little hole in the top and fill it with brandy, then light it, and serve it in a blaze. In olden times, “a sprig of arbutus, with a red berry on it, was stuck in the middle, and a twig of variegated holly, with berries, placed on each side.” This was done to keep away witches.
Some current recipes, however, leave out the suet which is a shame since the suet coats the fruit and helps retain the juices and balance out the sweet and rich flavours. If you have had a fruit mince pie that is so sweet you can hardly finish it, chances are it didn’t have that fat component to balance things out. Vegetarians should read ingredient lists of pre-made fruit mince pies before buying.
Fun Facts about Plum Puddings:
Ingredients:
• Plum puddings can be traced back to the early fifteenth century. • Plum puddings were served before the meal as a filler, as opposed to dessert. • The original form, plum pottage, was made from chopped beef or mutton, onions and perhaps other root vegetables, and dried fruit. • In the sixteenth century, variants were made with white meat, and gradually the meat came to be omitted, to be replaced by suet. • The root vegetables eventually disappeared, although even now Christmas pudding often still includes a token carrot. • Silver coins and other trinkets such as a thimble or a ring used to be stirred into the pudding for luck and fortune. (This is not recommended with modern coins, however, since the alloys in them can leave a nasty taste if boiled with the pudding.)
• 2 x 500g jars Tasti (good Kiwi company) preprepared fruit mince • 3 small Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and chopped VERY finely • 2tbsp tawny port (any port, sherry or brandy would work) • 150g suet, grated • One sirloin or rump steak (approx 150-200g), panfried and minced as finely as possible • 2 sheets pre-rolled savoury pastry • 2 sheets pre-rolled sweet short pastry • 2 cups white flour • ¼ cup icing/powdered sugar • 1 free-range egg yolk (mixed with water, below) • 90ml (1/4 c + 2tbsp) cold water • 115g (1/2 stick) butter, cold and cubed
Mincemeat Pies
Home-made pastry
So what is actually in a mincemeat pie? Is it meat? Is it mince? Is it fruit?What the? Let me give you a quick history lesson. Back in the day – and I am talking Medieval day – there were fewer people and
• Put flour, icing/powdered sugar and cold, cubed butter in food processor and process until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. • Slowly add water while the processor is going.
Method:
85
When the dough is the right consistency, it will ball up in the food processor. If you pour the water in too fast, you will add too much and your pastry will be gummy. • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 15+ mins and it will be much easier to handle. • Roll and cut out circles. Do the same with the prerolled pastry.
Fillings: • Divide the fruit mince into three bowls. Think the Three Bears and have one bowl with slightly less than 1/3 (bowl A), one with about 1/3 (bowl B) and one with slightly more than 1/3 (bowl C). • While you are making pastry, place the finely diced apples in a saucepan with 2 tbsp port and cover. Simmer until apples are very soft. When liquid has disappeared, apples should be ready. • Add 1/3 grated suet to each bowl. • Add 1/3 apples to bowl A. Add the remaining 2/3 apples to bowl B. • Add the finely minced steak to bowl A. • Now you have three bowls of fillings: A) fruit mince, suet, apple and steak; B) fruit mince, suet and apple; C) fruit mince and suet.
Building the pies: • I used a mini-muffin tin with 12 spaces. Mine was designed for shallow tarts rather than a deeper muffin and was quite good. Alternatively, you could use individual mini pie tins. • Spray tins with cooking spray and line with circles of savoury pastry. • Make four pies with each filling, using 1½tbsp of filling per pie. • Place a smaller circle of pastry on the top of each. If you want to tell them apart later, cut a distinguishing mark in the top pastry. • Glaze with egg wash (egg yolk mixed with splash of water). • Sprinkle with small amount of granulated sugar. • Bake in 180*C/350*F oven for 18mins. • Cool, remove from pan and repeat twice, first with sweet pastry and then home-made pastry.
A Not- So-Traditional Turkey Roast
Turkey is a brilliant bird to roast, though you do have to keep up with the basting so it doesn’t dry out. There are many options – stuffed, unstuffed, with or without vegetables – and every family seems to have a traditional style that works for them. I am going to give you a non-traditional, but absolutely fabulous (non-Victorian) alternative here.
Ingredients: • 1 turkey, washed and giblets removed • 1 x-large cooking bag • Good olive oil • Dried sage • Black pepper • 1 – 2 onions • 1 – 2 lemons • 1 – 2 oranges • 1 bottle decent white wine of your choice (I prefer a fruity, dry Sav Blanc) 86
Method:
The Best Gravy Ever
• Wipe the washed turkey down with the olive oil and sprinkle with sage and black pepper. • Halve the onions, lemons and oranges and stuff them inside the cavity of the washed turkey. • Place the turkey in the cooking bag in a roasting tray, preparing the bag as per bag instructions. • With the turkey still in the bag, lift up its neck and pour ½ bottle of wine into the cavity. • Seal bag and cook as per bag instructions. • Drink the remaining wine while you prepare the rest of your Christmas feast. • When the turkey is done, reserve all juices from bag/pan and pour into a saucepan to prepare the Best Gravy Ever
• Bring reserved juices to a boil in saucepan. • Place about ¼ cup white flour in an empty, clean jam jar with a good lid. Fill jar up about halfway with cold water and shake vigorously until flour is completely dissolved. • Pour flour water into boiling juices and reduce heat. Simmer until you get desired consistency. If you need to thicken further, dissolve flour in water first. Don’t add flour straight to gravy or you will never get the lumps out. • Season with salt and pepper. If you find you are adding quite a lot to get the desired taste, you probably are. Enjoy, it’s Christmas after all.
Beverages in the Victorian Era chili peppers and prized by the Mayans to the European adaptation. This was served hot and mixed with milk and sugar, much like we drink it today.
What was the most common drink in England during the nineeth century? If you said “tea”, you would be right, but not by much. Tea didn’t gain widespread acceptance in England until the Victorian era. There were several reasons for this: •
•
•
Coffee was the most popular non-alcoholic beverage up until the late 1800s. This was because England ruled many coffee-growing nations, including Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) and Kenya.The government was happy to encourage an empire of coffee drinkers to support the coffee industry until it was nearly decimated by a disease called “coffee rust”. The decision was made to replant in tea leaves and the rest is history. Brewers were afraid it would replace ale as a breakfast drink! Yes, ale was the drink of choice for breakfast and brewers were already struggling with the rise in popularity of coffeehouses. For some reason coffee instigated thoughts, ideas and conversation while ale tended to slow functions and thoughts; go figure! Hot Chocolate had become a very chic drink of the day. Chocolate had evolved from a bitter cold beverage mixed with water, cornmeal and
•
Tea was very expensive due to the heavy taxes placed on it by the government. The clergy was convinced tea was sinful since it came from a “heathen country” (funny how it was no longer sinful when they started growing it in the colonies!). Doctors opined it was unhealthy thereby giving the government an excuse to cash in.
•
Tea was forbidden to the young Princess Victoria. When she became Queen in 1837, one of the first things she did was to order a cup of tea.
•
The first afternoon High Tea is credited to Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford early in the 19th century when she decided to take tea to “assuage the hunger of afternoon between lunch and dinner”.
•
Women were not allowed in coffeehouses, but they could frequent tea gardens without criticism. Ladies and gentlemen could walk together along flowered walkways without causing scandal. 87
88 88
89 89
hamilton
auckland
The Auckland Retro Fair, Alexandra Park Raceway 10 November, 10 am - 5 pm
Over 35 stallholders selling genuine retro furniture, clothes, china, jewellery, fabric, bakelite, records, prints, paintings, glass, clocks, watches, collectables.
Armistice in Cambridge : War in the Pacific Mighty River Domain, Karapiro 9-10 November A popular feature of the Armistice in Cambridge weekend is the battle re-enactments designed to demonstrate the various weapons, tactics and battles that have been fought in the past. As well as featuring World War One and World War Two scenarios, these re-enactments also include demonstrating kiwi involvement in the South African War, New Zealand Wars of the 1800’s, the Vietnam War, and more. And displays of even further back to the ancestry of many kiwis shows battles involving Romans, Vikings and other such interesting combatant clans of history past. http://www.armisticeincambridge.co.nz/
christchurch new Plymouth
Pink Gatsby Ball Riccarton Racecourse,165 Racecourse Rd 1 November
NZ Art and Tattoo Festival TSB Stadium, Mason Drive, New Plymouth 23 - 24 November
Get your glad rags on for a fun-filled night at the inaugural Shocking Pink charity fundraising ball. Shocking Pink will transport you to the roaring 20s and put on a party to rival Gatsby’s finest! https://www.facebook.com/events/513044828778072
New Plymouth will again play host to the New Zealand Tattoo & Art Festival. Australasia’s largest tattoo event will expose the public to the history, art & culture of tattooing in an exciting, fun & friendly environment. Promoted by Oni Events, the festival will showcase some of the very best international tattoo artists combined with Australia’s & New Zealand’s best making this an event not to be missed. In addition to the world class tattooing, the festival will also feature live music, burlesque, retailers, art exhibitions, tattoo competitions & much more. http://www.nztattooart.com/
Anissa Victoria's Vintage Market Pallet Pavillion 1 November (and then first Friday of each month) Anissa’s market has quickly established itself as a popular destination each month. There’s not just the fabulous vintage treasure you will find but there’s also live musicians, performers, djs and a bar should you wish to wander among the stalls with a glass of wine in hand! https://www.facebook.com/AnissaVictoriasVintageMarket
Zombierun Christchurch Orton Bradley Park, Charteris Bay Rd, Charteris Bay, Banks Peninsula 23 November Zombierun is an interactive apocalyptic 5 km run through a zombie infested quarantine area! But you’re not just running against the clock. You’re also running from blood-thirsty, virus-infected, brain-eating zombies! The scariest race ever and a lot of fun! Sign-up as runner or as zombie. www.zombierun.co.nz
Inferno Lounge Wunderbar in Lyttelton, Christchurch 5 December Starring the wonderful Fanciforia Foxglove all the way from Wellington. $25 presales available on Dash / $30 on the door (if available), Doors open 8pm - show starts 8.30pm. For more information visit our Facebook page: Tease & Trouble Productions
90
oAmaru Oamaru Victorian Heritage Celebrations Oamaru's Victorian Precinct 14- 17 November The Oamaru Victorian Heritage Celebrations is one of the stunning Waitaki region’s biggest annual events. It’s a week when Oamaru celebrates its heritage and has huge fun doing so. Everyone is welcome and given the rare chance to experience all the sights, sounds, tastes, and activities of a bygone era. Expect the men’s beards to be handsomely groomed, the women’s corsets fastidiously tightened and much merriment to be had by young and old alike. http://www.historicoamaru.co.nz/heritagecelebrations.html
wellington Mollie Rodie: Carnival Queen Te Papa 1 August - 20 January During World War II, New Zealand designer and journalist Mollie Roddie found a new use for her fashion credentials. Her Carnival Queen costume designs brought a touch of Hollywood-style glamour to fundraising pageants, and helped rally spirits on the home front. This exhibition showcases a selection of Rodie’s watercolour sketches, alongside an album of photographs that reveal how local women brought them to life.
palmerston north The Steam Traction Society's 50th Jubilee Feilding 9- 10 November Traction engines and roller rides and a chance to steer one. Working portable and stationery engines, vintage tractors and machinery, live steam models, steam driven sawmill, and refreshments also available. Phone 06 327 5464.
Antiques Fair Te Manawa 9 -10 November Peter Wedde from Wellington is an obsessed energetic dealer with over 25 years in the trade. He covers the whole country trawling all the auction rooms, dealers and other sources seeking treasures that have washed up here. He has a major interest in New Zealand antiques and folk art. Peter will be in at Te Manawa giving public appraisals.
whanganui
Vintage Weekend Wanganui 19-21 January
Wanganui has a busy line up of vintage events over a whole weekend. From the River City Caboodle on Saturday with street stalls and entertainment, through to a Soap Box Derby on Monday. Don’t miss the Glory Days swimsuit competition! http://www.vintageweekend.co.nz/
The Retro, Recycled, Restored Market Frank Kitts Park Carpark 2 November The regular Saturday market at Frank Kitts Park is transformed into a market for lovers of retro and vintage, come along 10-4 and find treasures.
Burlesque Masquerade Ball James Cabaret, Hania Street 16 November The fourth annual Burlesque Masquerade Ball showcases top talent from around New Zealand in one action packed night. Brought to you by Courtney L’amour, this is a high-class revue bringing you a wide variety of talented performers in a classic ball setting. Come and eat, drink, dance, and be entertained all in one amazing evening. https://www.facebook.com/NZBurlesque
TO HAVE YOUR EVENT LISTED IN OUR HOT DATES GUIDE, EMAIL EDITORS@GLORYDAYSMAGAZINE.COM 91
92
93
glory days is your magazine and we want you to keep in touch!
just click the icons to link to our facbook, twitter and pinterest pages, we look forward to hearing from you!
keen to advertise or contribute? please contact us at: glorydaysmagazine@gmail.com
94