Wednesday 9 March 2016

From the sublime to the ridiculous?





The photo prompt for Sepia Saturday # 321 comes from the State Library of New South Wales and was taken by Mr Sam Hood in 1934, on the occasion of the Grenadier Guards' visit to Sydney and their march to the Cenotaph in Martin Place to lay a wreath, on 8 November 1934.  Here is a report and photographs of the event, published in the Sydney Morning Herald on 9 November 1934.



                                             
                                              






A less detailed report of the event appeared in the Canberra Times of the same date. Note how the unfortunate gentleman who collapsed and died  in the crowd is given a different name and age in the two papers. His correct name and age appears to have been Charles Vinnicombe, 67, according to the NSW Registry of  Births Deaths and Marriages web site.  Both the above articles and photographs were snipped from Trove.



Fairfax Corporation. (1930). Cenotaph to our glorious dead in Martin Place, Sydney, ca. 1930s Retrieved March 10, 2016, fromhttp://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-162893789

Here is a photograph of the Cenotaph from Trove, around the time of the Grenadier Guards' visit.  I have walked past the Cenotaph many times when I lived in Sydney but if I ever took a photograph of it I can't find it. It hasn't changed much however.

According to a comment on the Flickr State Library web site relating to the prompt photograph, Mr Sam Hood was fond of taking photographs of kissing couples in the 1930s and 1940s, and there are links to other images given there.  I on the other hand have very few photographs of anyone kissing . and the following two are all I can offer, both from my mother's albums. 

This is a snap of yours truly making new friends in the gardens of Cambridge,  in April 1954. I look to be a little unsure of the attention I'm receiving from these two friendly but unknown little English girls, who look to have been slightly older than me, but the natural innocence of childhood shines through.

  The standard photograph below showing my father and me beside the Sentries at Buckingham Palace in their bearskins also appears in the album documenting our year in the UK, but I'm sure neither of us tried to kiss them.





And finally, here's one of my late mother's favourite photographs of herself in more recent times, being kissed by a seal called Ellie at the Porpoise Pool in Coff Harbours NSW, when she was visiting there with a busload of friends in 2007. In fact there are no porpoises there, just dolphins, seals and penguins. I remember Mum saying that she particularly liked the fact that both she and Ellie were originally from New Zealand, and consequently she felt a kind of affinity with her. No doubt Ellie was trained to kiss all the visitors, but I didn't argue!


Blog done,and now I'm heading off for a long weekend at the beach, but for more photographs of kissing couples, big hats, crowds and whatever else fellow Sepians may choose to feature this week, you can si simply put your hat on and head off to Sepia Saturday #321

15 comments:

Helen Killeen Bauch McHargue said...

Thanks so much for the full story about the prompt photo. So sad that one person died on an otherwise happy day. The picture of your mother and the porpoise is priceless.

Jofeath said...

I've since realised that it's a seal, not a porpoise. I don't really approve of animals being trained to perform, but it does make for a good photo!

ScotSue said...

A very apt combination of photographs on the theme. Your first story links so well with guardsmen and crowds. My favourite kiss is the one of your little new found friends in the park. - it is so cute.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

I love the little girl trio, darling photo of you. Papers were the only tool for reporters at that time. Like today they loved sensation and exaggeration plus their clipped, imperial voices broadcasting on the radio made anything important.

Unknown said...

Thank you, thank you, for providing the term "bearskins." I never knew what to call those rather silly-looking hats -- do they have a purpose?

La Nightingail said...

Your own two photos are my favorites of what you've included here - especially the one of you being befriended with a kiss. What a sweet shot! :)

Jofeath said...


It seems that they are just a traditional form of military headgear,and the only real purpose is to look distinctive by standing out. Each one requires the skin of a Canadian black or brown bear, and around 100 a year are made from a much larger annual bear cull. Nevertheless the animal rights people are not happy about it and there have been trials using artificial fur, but no permanent changes have resulted as far as I can tell, but I'm no expert on bearskins.

Dara said...

Thanks for the background story on this week's prompt photo, Jo - it's a pity the happy event was marred with tragedy. I'd say the heat well effected the bandsmen under those massive bearskin caps - they probably had never felt anything like it before.

Mike Brubaker said...

Now that's what I called Sealed with a Kiss!
The report on the Grenadier Guards' Band is a great example of why military bands continue to be important ambassadors of a nation. But I'd bet the bandsman wished for combat hazard pay to wear those bearskins in Australia's heat.

Jofeath said...

Ha ha, very good, why didn't I think of that? And yes, it's not uncommon for members of the military to pass out when on parade, due to either heat or inactivity and it does sound like it was hot on that early November day. We're currently experiencing an 'Indian summer', with temps still in the 30s, when the weather should be starting to cool down by now.

kathy said...

Oh what a sweet photo of you. I didn't realize just how long the whiskers on a seal are. Your mom looks like she was enjoying the experience.

Barbara Rogers said...

I can't decide on my favorite of your photos...you as a child, or your mom with her seal kiss!

Little Nell said...

A post packed with detail and interesting stories. It’s good to get the story behind the picture, but sad about the chap collapsing, whoever he was. The photo of you and friends should have been at the top of the post - it ourstrips the rest!

Sharon said...

I just adore the childhood photo! You have to love childhood innocence and friendliness!

Anonymous said...

Awww... Ohhhh... Kissed by a seal. Lovely