Sweeper Gallery

Bluebell in Fairyland by Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss

Flyer for musical dream play Bluebell in Fairyland by Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss, with music by Walter Slaughter at the Princes Theatre. First produced at Blue-bell Vaudeville Theatre, on 18th December 1901, for the revival at the Princes Theatre on 2nd December 1916. Dicky, a crossing sweeper, and Bluebell a London flower girl are seen on a giant toadstool, surrounded by fairies. The same image was used for the programme. Production Designed by the Eminent French Artist, Mons.Georges de Feure. Date: 1916

© The Michael Diamond Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library

Lady Sclaters Hospital Supply Depot, WW1

Four photographs in the Sphere magazine reporting on the War Hospital Supply Dept opened in August 1915 by Lady Sclater, wife of Lieut.-General Sir H. Sclater at 18 Pont Street, London to supply garments and surgical requisites to war hospitals at home and abroad. The work was purely voluntary and done under the supervision of Lady Sclater herself. In a six month period from January to June 1917, 19, 813 ladies attended, making and despatching a staggering 174, 000 articles from life-saving waistcoats for men on mine-sweepers to hospital slippers. Date: 1916

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Chimney Sweepers on May Day

May Day celebrations of the chimney sweeps. The text with the picture gives some interesting information about Jack in the Green and the Lord and Lady: "their garland is a large cone of holly and ivy framed upon hoops, which gradually diminishes in size to an apex, whereon is sometimes a floral crown, knots of ribbons, or bunches of flowers; its sides are decorated in like manner; and within it is a man who walks wholly unseen, and hence the garland has the semblance of a moving hillock of evergreens...their lord and lady are magnificent indeed; the lord is always the tallest of the party...he wears a huge cocked hat, fringed with yellow or red feathers, or laced with gold paper...his waistcoat is embroidered...his shoes are dancing pumps with large tawdry buckles; his hair is powdered...his lady is sometimes a strapping girl, though usually a boy in female attire." Date: 1826

© Mary Evans Picture Library