Crowd Gallery

Rorkes Drift

The Defence of Rorke's Drift during the Zulu War, 22nd January 1879. A painting by Lady Elizabeth Butler, specially commissioned by Queen Victoria to commemorate the bravery of the soldiers who fought off a Zulu attack on a field hospital, although massively outnumbered. On the right, Private Frederick Hitch distributes ammunition to the soldiers, an act of courage for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

© 2004 Getty Images

Birstall, W Yorkshire - Unveiling statue of Joseph Priestly

Birstall, W Yorkshire - Unveiling the statue of Joseph Priestly on 12th October 1912 - at this point the unveiling party had adjourned to the Temperance Hall. Following the tragic assassination of the MP Jo Cox on 16th June 2016 (almost within sight of this statue), thousands of flowers were placed around it in remembrance. Priestly (1733-1804) was a 18th-century English theologian, dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and Liberal political theorist who supported the French Revolution and campaigned for the legal and civic rights of Dissenters. In Jo Cox's humanitarian campaigning can almost been seen a distant echo of Priestly, making the recent spontaneous memorial very apt indeed. Date: 1912

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

Some Grand National

A number of jockeys who were expected to ride in the 1938 Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree "walking the plank" at the famous Becher's Brook. Those pictured are Frenchie Nicholson, Evan Williams, Anthony Mildmay, Captain R. Harding, J. Moloney, Mr. J. Gordon, Jack Fawcus, Gerry Wilson, J. Hamey and, bringing up the rear, Mr J. C. Bulteel, Clerk of the Course. The actual winner of the race was Battleship, ridden by Bruce Hobbs (not pictured!)

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10279717