Buttons Gallery

The Pearly King and Queen of Thornton Heath

Larry Barnes (1926-2011) - Pearly King of Thornton Heath and one of Variety Theatre's last specialist acts. Pictured with his Pearly Queen Maggie (1932-?), who (against common practice) was not his actual wife, but stage partner and assistant, who happily filled in the role of his Pearly partner. Date: circa 1960s

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

Woman police officer Annie Matthews, Hyde Park, London

Woman police officer Annie Matthews (nickname Big Ben), on duty at the children's lido in Hyde Park, London. Before joining the Met Police, Annie worked as a housemaid at Glamis Castle in Scotland. She joined the force in July 1919, but left in July 1922 during the period of the so-called Geddes Axe, when the government of the day reduced the number of policewomen from 112 to 20. However she rejoined in December 1922 and continued to serve until December 1949. Date: 1939

© Metropolitan Police Authority/Mary Evans

Advertisement for the London Glove Company

Advertisement for the London Glove Company of Cheapside and New Bond Street, showing a selection of women's gloves including long white evening gloves, wrist buttoning gloves and gauntlets in scented leather, chamois, reindeer, velour, deerskin and kid

© Mary Evans Picture Library

1912, Accessories, Advert, Advertisement, Advertising, Bond, Button, Buttoning, Buttons, Chamois, Cheapside, Company, Costume, Deerskin, Edwardian, Elegant, Evening, Fashion, Fit, Gauntlets, Glove, Gloves, Historical, History, Kid, Leather, Long, New, Reindeer, Scented, Selection, Skin, Snug, Street, Tight, Trade, Velour, White, Womens, Wrist