Dummy Gallery

Suffragettes Pankhurst and Gawthorpe Rutland 1907

Christabel Pankhurst and Mary Gawthorpe in the Market Place, Uppingham, holding a meeting during the 1907 Rutland bye-election. The campaign saw Mary Gawthorpe the victim of dirty tricks by supporters of the Liberal candidate, W.F Lyons. Sylvia Pankhurst later gave an account of an incident when Mary was struck on the head by a pot-egg (a china dummy egg) and knocked unconscious. Youths were apparently paid by a wealthy Liberal supporter to hurl sweets at suffragette speakers (see Votes for Women 6th August 1909) Polling was held on11th Juneand the Conservative was duly elected. Date: 1907

© The March of the Women Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library

Authropoglossos St. James's Hall, Piccadilly

Authropoglossos or mechanical large vocalist dummy head, made of wax and ornamented with that profusion of hair and beard, in the month he wears a large tin funnel, suspended from the ceiling by two long brass chains; from the throat a piece of red drapery descends about two feet in length, a man goes behind the figure, lifts up the drapery and discloses a view of bellows like a concertina, key is inserted into its neck and is wound up, during which it makes a melancholy moan. Date: circa 1830s

© Mary Evans Picture Library

Mens boutique in Carnaby Street, 1960s

Interesting view (in a convex mirror) of the interior of a men's boutique in Carnaby Street, the fashionable epicentre of swinging sixties London. Shelves and rails are filled with groovy garments while one shop girl shoes a tomato red shirt to a male customer. Just to the right can be seen a reflection of the photographer. Date: 1967

© Mary Evans Picture Library