Armbands Gallery

Noble Namaqua woman of South Africa

Noble Namaqua woman of South Africa. She wears a robe with beaded belt, necklace and armbands. From Francois Le Vaillant's Second Voyage into the Interior of Africa. Copperplate engraving by Dell'Acqua handcoloured by Lazaretti from Giovanni Battista Sonzogno's Collection of the Most Interesting Voyages (Raccolta de Viaggi Piu Interessanti), Milan, 1815-1817. Noble Namaqua woman of South Africa. She wears a robe with beaded belt, necklace and armbands. From Francois Le Vaillant's Second Voyage into the Interior of Africa. Copperplate engraving by Dell'Acqua handcoloured by Lazaretti from Giovanni Battista Sonzogno's Collection of the Most Interesting Voyages (Raccolta de Viaggi Piu Interessanti), Milan, 1815-1817. Date:

© Florilegius/Mary Evans

Woman police officer Shirley Becke, London, WW2

Shirley Cameron Becke (nee Jennings, 1917-2011), later to become Commander of the Met Police's A4 (Women's) Branch from 1966 to 1973. Seen here (right) on duty in Central London during the Second World War as WPC 55C Jennings, with a colleague, both wearing air raid helmets. Date: circa 1940s

© Metropolitan Police Authority/Mary Evans

Two women police officers and woman with suitcase

Two women police officers, one of them a sergeant (Greta Drinkwater, nee Saban), talking to a young woman with a suitcase outside a pub on a London street. Drinkwater would rise to the rank of Chief Superintendent, and become the first woman to take charge of a sub-division (in 1976). Date: circa 1960s

© Metropolitan Police Authority/Mary Evans