MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY
H
ello, and welcome to the first edition of the new Mary Evans magazine, ME and You, designed to bring the best of Mary Evans to you. What better way to share the amazing diversity and sheer range of pictures in the library.
ISSUE 1, JANUARY 2010
Published by the Mary Evans Picture Library 59 Tranquil Vale, London SE3 0BS T: 020 8318 0034 www.maryevans.com E: pictures@maryevans.com Nameplate image ClassicStock/Mary Evans
All the features have been put together by Mary Evans staff, tapping into their specialist knowledge and their love of history. We hope you find Me & You an absorbing and entertaining read and a chance to immerse yourself in the past, which for us proves constantly fascinating, stimulating and inspirational. Enjoy!
The Sixties turn 50
APL/Mary Evans
1960s model in psychedelic jumpsuit (image 10286299)
In Britain, rationing had ended only in 1954 and in the early 1960s many homes had no indoor bathroom or lavatory. Coal fires were often the only source of heat, a tin bath placed before them the rudimentary washing facilities.Town planners etched out a vision of Britain as a modern high-rise society, and local authorities began to implement
slum clearance policies that would see 1.3 million homes demolished nationwide between 1955 and 1975. Shirley Baker's photographs of Manchester and Salford during the 1960s recorded the human story of these soon-to-be-demolished communities: old ladies sitting on doorsteps in a row of condemned houses, men with handcarts searching for refuse to be recycled, children playing amongst rubble and abandoned cars. Internationally, events that were to have profound and lasting effects occurred with remarkable rapidity. In February 1960, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's speech to the South African Parliament about a "wind of change" blowing Girls at Hampstead Fair, 1961 (image through the Heath 10190613) continent faced a stony reception. A subsequent protest at Sharpeville organised by the Pan Africanist Congress in which 70 black Africans were killed by white police led to the United
Roger Mayne/Mary Evans
H
ard as it may be to believe, it is now half a century since the beginning of that great decade of change, the 1960s. For many it is most immediately remembered as the "Swinging Sixties", with its mini-skirts and mop-tops, an explosion of Carnaby Street fashions, Twiggy and the Beatles. But the decade which began in the shadow of the post-war world of the 1950s had its dark side, along with the fun and colour of its music and fashion.
superseded by the frayed and tie-dyed hippie look. The last year of the 1960s witnessed a truly ground-breaking moment as astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin fulfilled JFK's 1961 goal of landing a man on the moon before the decade was out.
Shirley Baker/Mary Evans
These transformative years have proved acutely memorable for many different reasons, and fifty years later continue to be a fascinating source of mythology and nostalgia. They say that if you can remember the Sixties, you weren’t really there.We hope our images will be a timely reminder.
Ice-cream van in a Manchester street with a row of terraced houses, 1965 (image 10238913)
Local authorities began to implement slum clearance policies that would see 1.3 million homes demolished
In Britain, national pride was given a boost in July 1966 when the World Cup host nation, England, overcame West Germany 4-2 at Wembley to lift the Jules Rimet trophy. Even society magazine Tatler celebrated soccer fever with their take on the football shirt. Sixties fashion featured a number of pioneering trends from the mini-skirt of Mary Quant to the tailored look of the Mods with their slim-fitting suits and Italian scooters, later
World Cup fashions for ladies, modelled by the female staff of London Life magazine in July 1966 (image 10223136)
Rue des Archives/Mary Evans
Illustrated London News Ltd./Mary Evans
Hendrik Verwoerd, South African premier, welcoming Harold Macmillan to Cape Town in February 1960. During this visit Macmillan spoke out against apartheid. Illustrated London News, 1st February 1960 (image 10218790)
On 20th August 1961, construction of the Berlin Wall began, a potent symbol of the Cold War, while the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union brought the world to the brink of nuclear conflict. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech in Washington on 28th August 1963 called for an end to racial discrimination and was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement. Three months later, America was shattered by the assassination of President Kennedy whose charm and energy had ushered in a new spirit of optimism at the start of the decade.
Illustrated London News Ltd./Mary Evans
Nations calling for the policy of apartheid to be abandoned.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the moon, 20th July 1969 (image 10272769)
Tip: to easily view some great collections of 1960s images on our website, type into the search box %SBA for photographer Shirley Baker; %MAP for photographer Roger Mayne; or %APL for Adams Picture Library’s retro fashion pictures.
Interfoto/Mary Evans
Martin Luther King praying, 1960s (image 10204226)
REVEALING THE ARCHIVE
Meet the Mitfords
Our archive reveals some fascinating images of the notorious Mitford Sisters
society magazines we are now lucky enough to hold here at the library. Flick through the pages of The Tatler or The Sketch, or Harper's Bazaar and it's rare to find a volume without at least some mention of the name "Mitford". As with so many personalities of the 20th century, the archive at Mary Evans promises imagery and material beyond the familiar. The acerbic Nancy, a brilliant comic novelist, appeared on the front cover of The Bystander at least twice, and was photographed with one or other of her sisters, as well as her high society chum Rosemary Hope-Vere (as was the fashion) several times. Pamela, the so-called quiet, "rural" one surprises us by popping up quite frequently, and can boast a Bystander cover herself which is rather at odds with her reputation as a shy, retiring type. Diana, arguably the most beautiful, is an almost weekly magazine regular. Married at 19 to Bryan Guinness; her engagement, her wedding and then her children were all covered but tellingly, she disappears from view during the Second World War when her right wing fascist politics led to her and her second husband, Oswald Mosley's imprisonment. Jessica's elopement with her cousin Esmond Romilly is reported in The Sketch, its polite tone thinly disguising its obvious delight in delicious scandal, while Unity's open admiration of Hitler was naively flagged up by various magazines that published her picture in the 1930s.The Sketch features a portrait of her
A portrait of Mrs Bryan Guinness (Diana Mitford) by Madame Yevonde in The Sketch 17th August 1932 (image 10221107)
All images Illustrated London News Ltd./Mary Evans
D
iana Mosley, the third of the six infamous Mitford sisters was born 100 years ago this June.You could argue that what hasn't been written about the Mitfords isn't worth knowing, and numerous biographies, memoirs, published letters and semiautobiographical novels have ensured that their legend lives on beyond the grave. They had a famously eccentric upbringing and in the case of Diana and Jessica, diametrically opposed political views. But their beautiful, mesmerising faces and blue blood ensured that, despite the occasional scandal, they remained the darlings of the
Nancy Freeman-Mitford on the cover of The Bystander, 2nd September 1931 (image 10223847)
in 1937 holding, rather ironically, her pet dachshund. The caption reads, "The Hon. Unity Freeman-Mitford, who possesses the charming and unusual second name of Valkyrie, is the fourth of Lord and Lady Redesdale's six good-looking daughters. She spends much time in Germany, is politically-minded, and is a supporter of the Nazi movement." Deborah, the surviving (youngest) Mitford sister and nowadays the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, appeared in far more conservative circumstances as a debutante and bride. Mysteriously though, she appears in The Bystander listed as Miss 'Devereux' Mitford in 1938, an editorial error or a typically mischievous
It is an image at odds with that of a woman who met and admired Hitler, though one wonders after all the socialising and love affairs, how on earth she found the time to associate with the Fuhrer? Love them or loath them, the Mitfords were always fascinating and the rare material we hold on them equally so delve in and discover more.
Jessica’s elopement with her cousin is reported in The Sketch, thinly disguising its obvious delight in delicious scandal "Mitfordesque" alias unsuspecting reporter?
Deborah FreemanMitford as a debutante in The Sketch, 31st August 1938 (image 10224241)
Diana Mitford as Venus at the Olympian Party & Ball on 5th March 1935. The Sketch, 6th March 1935 (image 10224236)
given
to
an
Elsewhere, we see the sisters frequenting enough parties to exhaust the most hardened reveler. Nancy is at the Circus Ball in 1933 as part of an equestrian troupe, Diana is Venus on the front cover of The Sketch while attending the Olympian Party and Ball and then as an angel at Cecil Beaton's "Come as your Opposite" party in 1932. All pop up, singly, in pairs, with "Muv" or "Farv'" or en masse at air shows, hunt meetings, charity functions, first nights, film premieres and weddings. Diana in particular was a favourite mannequin, and modeled Victor Stiebel dresses in Harper's Bazaar, before perhaps taking a cab to Victoria Street where the society photographer Madame Yevonde - whose work we represent - might take her portrait. After all that, she still found time to be pictured "at home" or in romantically hazy maternal photographs with her sons.
Friends of the FĂźhrer: Diana and Unity Mitford by Madame Yevonde in The Tatler, 18th March 1936 (image 10214200)
The Tatler,The Sketch and The Bystander form part of The Illustrated London News archive housed and managed by Mary Evans Picture Library. Harper's Bazaar is part of The National Magazine Company, represented by Mary Evans.
STAFF
PIX
Notes on our staff’s favourite images
Mary Evans Picture Library
Lucinda O’Donovan PICTURE RESEARCHER
THIS PICTURE IS A STRONG EXAMPLE OF THE
DISTINCTIVE
STYLE
OF
seen in the French magazine Le Petit Journal in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. What I find most appealing about this image and others that featured in the magazine, is the combination of bold, bright illustration with astonishing subject matter. ILLUSTRATION
Without fail, every issue found an extremely dramatic event to report on with gusto, depicted in full colour on their front page, and led to some very diverse material being produced. An elephant rampaging through a café in
Toulouse in 1891? A polar bear mauling a suicidal servant girl in Frankfurt Zoo? A canoodling communist couple arrested for an all-too-public display of affection? Heroic rescues, violent crimes, tragic accidents - all these and more are covered by Le Petit Journal with relish. Their illustrations now offer us a glimpse into a vibrant, bizarre and often gruesome past, the moment distilled into an image impossible to catch on camera.The incredible variety of the subjects, and their colourful execution makes this journal one of my favourite collections here at the library.
An elephant on the rampage in a Toulouse café. Illustration in Le Petit Journal, 14th November 1891 (image 10140849)
Mary Evans Picture Library
Tess Watts PICTURE RESEARCHER SHELVED DOWNSTAIRS IN OUR DEEPEST, DARKEST ARCHIVE, the wonderful La Gazette du Bon Ton magazines abound with exquisite illustrations by some of the most prominent Art Deco artists of the day, including Georges Lepape, A. E. Marty and my personal favourite, Georges Barbier. The rich and vivid colours of these magnificent prints were achieved through fine pochoir hand-colouring, a technique which involved stenciling the image directly on to the paper. The magazine chronicled contemporary developments in French fashion and lifestyle, providing a fascinating and unique insight into the world of early twentieth-century style and elegance. These colourful plates showcased the designs of various fashion houses including Lanvin, Worth, Paquin and Poiret, often portraying the models in dramatic poses and elaborate settings.
Lady walking in the snow, wearing a robe de visite by Paquin. Georges Barbier in Gazette du Bon Ton, 1912 (image 10138353)
The founder of La Gazette du Bon Ton, Lucien Vogel, marketed the magazine towards the Paris elite, aiming to present fashion as an art, equal to painting, sculpture and drawing, which judging by these beautiful illustrations we see before us, is something he certainly achieved.
Never a
C
R
O
S
S
W
O
R
D
Be it cryptic or quick, the crossword is a familiar feature in our daily newspapers; and reaching for a Biro or a chewed pencil to pit one's wits against the crossword compiler can be a compulsive pastime.
Mary Evans Picture Library
In fact, the crossword has a relatively short history. The first to be published in today's recognisable form appeared in the Fun section of New York World on 21st December 1913, compiled by one Arthur Wynne, a Liverpudlian, working as a journalist in the USA. It took another decade for the crossword to cross the Atlantic, but when it did - appearing in Pearson's magazine in February 1922 it had the nation hooked. The Last Word by William Heath Robinson. A motorcyclist, engrossed in a crossword, fails to notice that he is driving over the edge of a cliff just as he discovers the right answer to one of the clues: "To fall; to break to little pieces.' I've got it, 'C-R-A-S-H.'" The Bystander, 18th February 1925 (image 10411201)
Cover illustration for Judge, 2nd May 1925 (image 10117928)
Courtesy of the estate of Mrs JC Robinson/Pollinger Ltd/ILN/Mary Evans
The crossword craze of the mid-1920s draws parallels with the Sudoku craze of recent years but on a larger scale - with cartoonists and illustrators of the day keen to parody the phenomenon. To celebrate our own Mary Evans prize crossword (found overleaf), we've gathered together some of our favourite images celebrating the crossword.
Mary Evans Picture Library
Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
And Never a Cross Word by Howard K. Elcock. A nonchalant young woman in crossword-themed pyjamas leaves a hotel bathroom, oblivious to the waiting queue of other hotel guests who have obviously been there for some time. The Bystander, 28th January 1925 (image 10411271)
Crossword puzzle fever hits America: a proposal to erect huge crosswords at railway crossings to entertain travellers waiting for the train to pass. Unnamed artist in Allers Familj Journal, 11th February 1925 (image 10010235)
Goodbye Old Man A
Mary Evans Picture Library
s the most frequently ordered picture on our print site www.prints-online.com, "Goodbye Old Man" by Fortunino Matania remains, at 93 years old, perennially popular. The original painting was commissioned by The Blue Cross Fund in 1916 to raise money to relieve the suffering of war horses in Europe. Over one million horses saw service with the British Army during World War I and the Blue Cross treated thousands.The image, combining the twin British loves of animals and heroism, was an instant success and The Illustrated London
News and The Sphere both commissioned their own versions. Matania worked as special artist for The Sphere, and his attention to detail combined with a speedy technique and prolific output has left a legacy of superb illustration covering almost every conceivable aspect of the war. With the centenary of World War I just five years away and the recent staging of the National Theatre's "War Horse", "Goodbye Old Man" has certainly not said its last farewell.The picture remains a potent, if sentimental symbol of the Great War.
Goodbye Old Man by Fortunino Matania (image 10046868)
PR I Z E
CROSSWORD
Across 1. Crimean nurse (11) 7. Buzzing insect (3) 8. Holliday, or Disney dwarf? (3) 9. Eisenhower's nickname (3) 10. Language of the Romans (5) 12. Capital of Ghana (5) 14. Pirates fly a jolly one (5) 17. 1914, in the case of World War I (5) 19. Plenty of this at Mary Evans (3) 20. London's is in Regents Park (3) 21. Story by Henry Rider Haggard (3) 22. Famous diarist (6,5)
Try your hand (and brain) at our historically-themed prize crossword. The winner will bag a ÂŁ100 Amazon voucher. Find the word mixed up in the blue boxes above and email to meandyou@maryevans.com by 31st January 2010. Correct answers will be entered in a draw. The winner will be the first chosen at random after the closing date, and will be notified by 10th February.
Down 1. First awarded in 1901 (5,6) 2. Alfred was, apparently (5) 3. Assumed surname of Samuel Clemens (5) 4. Hercules killed a lion from here (5) 5. Anti-submarine detection system (5) 6. Morgan Le Fay, for example (11) 11. Frozen water (3) 13. Louis Wain's favourite animal (3) 15. Brides usually have one (5) 16. Cooking, or shooting? (5) 17. Penny Black was the first (5) 18. Fable writer (5)
We would be happy to receive your comments about ME & You. Please email us at meandyou@maryevans.com.