Hazardous Collection

High Tea above London
A young man defies gravity by perching on a pole on the roof of the new BBC Broadcasting House building and having a truely High Tea! Date: early 1930s

Coaches descending Kirkstone Pass, Lake District, Cumbria. Postcard published by George Perry Abraham (1844-1923), a photographer, postcard publisher, and mountaineer. Date: 1923

Porter in smog, Smithfield Market, London
Porter pulling a loaded cart through the smog, Smithfield Market, London, December 1962. Air pollution of this kind was very hazardous to health. Date: 1962

Cartoon, Railway Undertaking. An undertaker offers a puzzled traveller a business card: a comment on the dubious safety of rail travel. Date: 1852

Training from a tower
One of the slightly more hazardous aspects of training was from the tower. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

RUNNING AT WOOLWICH 1867
Running at Woolwich via a rather hazardous looking ditch. Date: 1867

Bali fisherman up to his neck in water
Bali fisherman pushing fishing net frame while up to his neck in seawater Date: 1989

Swing Roundabout
Children flying precariously through the air on the swing chairs of a roundabout at Hampton Court fair. Date: circa 1960

Westminster Builders
Workmen on precarious scaffolding, building the new Westminster Bank buildings high above Throgmorton Street, London. Date: 6 February 1930

Climbing a Glacier
Climbing a glacier with ropes through a hazardous tangle of ravines. It takes 7 hours to advance up the 4500 feet face of the glacier. Date: 1930s

Lowering the life boats
A diagram showing life boats from the Titanic being lowered to the water. The distance is compared to the height of a city office block

Fishing Up Lost Anchors, June 1885
Engraving of fishermen retrieving a lost anchor, from the Illustrated London News, 27th June 1885. Lost anchors often proved hazardous to fishermens nets

Long Skirts in Ballroom
Perils of trained skirts in crowded ballrooms when your partner has two left feet! A man steps on the long skirts of two women simultaneously & lands on the floor

Climbing Factory Chimney
These brave men are climbing a huge factory chimney, risking life and limb in the process

Customs / Cheese Rolling
Cheese Rolling at Coopers Hill. For over 400 years this Whit-Monday ceremony has taken place to preserve rights of common as grazing-ground

Hazardous Hairspray
An aerosol can of Harmony Hairspray, carelessly left on a hot Belling coal effect fireplace, which could cause a nasty explosion!

Skating Switchback 1909
Daring roller skaters risking life and limb to have a go on the " Skating Switchback", part of the Empress Skating Rink at Earls Court, London. Up to 4200 could skate on this rink

Broadcasting House Japes
A young man defies gravity by perching on a pole on the roof of the new BBC Broadcasting House building!

Slipping on Icy Steps
Dapper city gent slips on an icy patch on the steps of his townhouse losing his hat & cane in the process. A nearby cabman sees it all & can act as witness in the insurance claim

Hazardous Street
One man crosses a busy street while a couple are caught between a horse cab & a loaded wagon in the days before pedestrian crossings. An accident waiting to happen

Oiling Bridge Pulleys
This brave workman risks his life to oil one of the pulleys used to construct the new Lambeth Bridge, designed by George Humphreys, opened by George V in 1932

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