Jesters Gallery

Christmas Feasting in reign of Henry VI

The arrival of the peacock in a baronial hall in the days of Henry VI, with the customary procession ushering in the feast's centrepiece. On the left is a jester and a varlet chasing off a dog to make way for the steward. Behind the steward walk the panterer, two trumpeters, the carver, holding aloft the peacock pie ad the master cook. The fireplace, piled with Yule logs, is in the middle of the hall, as in Saxon times. Date: 24 November 1930

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

WW2 Poster -- ENSA Entertainments, Swing Vogue

Photolithograph poster inscribed NAAFI presents ENSA Entertainments for HM Forces. It's modern, it's new, it's bright, it's Swing Vogue. Featuring/ Bernard Gordon and his Jiving Jesters, Bob Chinn, Johnny Connor, Peter Hirst, Michael Parkus with Dorothy Wright, Harry Edwards, The High Spots (Margueritte Tabersham & Pat Banks), Joanne Lovatt, Audry Hardy, Barbara Taylor, Eunice Hinks, Kay Ashley, Mary Mason, Kate O'Brien, Bernice and Johnny, by kind permission of Colney Hatch. A fast moving production of colour, , chords and comedy. Showing the ENSA badge (top left) and the NAAFI badge (top right). From the collection of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI). Date: 1945

© The National Army Museum / Mary Evans Picture Library

Jesters (Smith)

In the background is a FOOL, a kind of domestic idiot : the JESTER is a more sophisticated creature, expected to be witty rather than the butt of coarse amusement. Date: 1272

© Mary Evans Picture Library

1272, Amusement, Back Ground, Bare Foot, Bladder, Butt, Coarse, Creature, Domestic, Expected, Fool, Idiot, Jester, Jesters, Kind, Smith, Sophisticated, Witty