Musicians Gallery

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by William McLaren

King Arthur welcomes the Green Knight into the Banqueting Hall and invites him to dismount and eat with the company. Everyone is amazed to see the unexpected visitor, holding a bunch of holly in one hand and a large green axe in the other. The Green Knight turns down Arthur's invitation, instead issuing a challenge, that if anyone there is brave enough to exchange blows with him, he will give them his battleaxe

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Boys Band, Training Ship Indefatigable

The Boys Band of the Training Ship Indefatigable pose for their photograph in a field, near a tent -- probably at a local fete where they were performing. Their ship was moored on the River Mersey, off New Ferry, Cheshire, established in 1865 to receive the sons and orphans of sailors, and other poor and destitute boys, and train them for the sea

© Mary Evans / Peter Higginbotham Collection

Two Whirling Dervishes with musicians

Two Whirling Dervishes with musicians. The Mevlevi Whirling Dervishes of Konya (Konia). This Dervish order was founded in memory of Jelaluddin Rumi (1207 - 1273) - mystic and poet. When the great Andalusian mystic Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi met Rumi (as a boy) with his Father in Baghdad - he commented when he saw him walking away behind his Father "How strange, there goes a Sea followed by an Ocean". The advancing Mongol hordes forced Rumi's Family to leave Balkh - arriving finally in Konya (Turkey). In Konya in 1244, a wandering Dervish met Rumi (Shamsuddin of Tabriz). After three years of friendship, Shamsuddin vanished mysteriously - some think he was murdered by Rumi's followers out of jealousy. Rumi wrote the Mathnawi - his most important work - called by some the Persian Koran'. Rumi's primary concern was not to found a Dervish order - it was his son, who after his Father's death instituted the formality of a Tariqah in his memory, hence the Mevlevi Dervishes today. The actual act of whirling is known as the Sema ('The Hearing'). The Sema is formed of various cycles. The spiritual seeker (Salik) must have personal freedom, in all aspects of life. The Salik's development is totally borne out of the culture of the place (personal development through trade apprenticeships etc.), moulding the individual in physical ad spiritual knowledge."

© Mary Evans Picture Library/Grenville Collins