Practising Collection

Piano playing
A small boy sits at a piano and practises his scales conscientiously

LCC-LFB Recruit fireman training at Brigade HQ, SE1
During the 1950s recruit firefighters were trained at the Brigade Headquarters, Lambeth. Here a fireman is undertaking a hook ladder drill on the stations nine-storey drill tower

LCC-LFB Recruit firefighters training at Brigade HQ SE1
During the 1950s recruit firefighters were trained at the Brigade Headquarters in Lambeth. Here they are undertaking hook ladder drills on the stations nine-storey drill tower

NFS firefighter at a training camp, WW2
With a dramatic reduction in enemy attacks on London after the Blitz (1940-41) firemen and firewomen had to be kept gainfully employed and a high level of fitness and preparedness maintained

Feng-Shui Compass
FENG-SHUI Fong-choei compass used by Chinese geomancers to calculate the most propitious location of buildings etc

Abbe Julio Exorcises
A French renegade priest and practising magician, the Abbe Julio, performs a ceremony of exorcism in his private chapel

Mass jets at the LFB annual review at Lambeth HQ
London firefighters from East London demonstrating mass jets during the Annual Review display at the Brigades headquarters. Lambeth, SE1

Two young riders, Cloutsham Farm, Exmoor, Devon
Two young riders at Cloutsham Farm, Exmoor, Devon, practising their horseback skills and watching the Devon and Somerset Hunt in the distance. Date: 1926

Firefighter during hook ladder practice. Date: 1967

LCC-LFB horse drawn 75ft turntable ladder (TL)
Shand Mason (Blackfriars) supplied the London Fire Brigade with this hand operated 75 foot turntable ladder on a four wheel horse drawn carriage

LCC-LFB Recruit firemen training at Brigade HQ, SE1
During the 1950s recruit firefighters were trained at the Brigade Headquarters, Lambeth

Jumping Sheet Drill - London Fire Brigade Date: circa 1940s

Firefighters receiving knots instruction

Royal Navy Seamen practice mine laying using weighted barrels. Date: circa 1907

Oxford practising for the Boat Race
The Oxford team practising for the annual Boat Race

Japanese Staff Fighting
Japanese practising with their equivalent of the quarterstaff

Comic postcard, Man in a muddy street, pretending to be in the trenches, watched by policeman. A Derby Scheme armband on his jacket shows that he is signed up and ready for active service

Comic postcard, Man attacking washing line - I'm practising bayonet charging! A Derby Scheme armband on his jacket shows that he is signed up and ready for active service. Date: circa 1915

Comic postcard, Man eating meal in coal cellar - I'm practising living in a dug-out! A Derby Scheme armband on his jacket shows that he is signed up and ready for active service. Date: circa 1915

Eleanor Cobham (c. 1400 - 1452), Duchess of Gloucester, accused of practising magic to
Eleanor Cobham (c.1400 - 1452), Duchess of Gloucester, accused of practising magic to help her husband Humphrey to the throne, does public penance in the streets of London. Date: 13th November 1441

WW2 - How A Camera Gun Works
A photograph with educational illustrations added to show how a camera gun works

Ballet Dancers
A painting of three dancers, practising ballet in a dance studio, next to a large orange curtain. Date: circa 1917

Oxford Eight practising on the River Thames with Houseboats
An Oxford Eight practising on the River Thames with elegant houseboats moored along the far riverbank. Date: 1929

Fleet Air Arm plane practising deck landing, WW2
A Fleet Air Arm Plane practising deck landing on a special runway Date: circa 1941

A dummy village made of canvas used for Artillery practise with Lyddite shells - near Okehampton, Dartmoor. A shell explodes near the Church'. Date: 1912

Parachute training in a hangar. Date: circa 1960s

Combined Civil Defence exercise, WW2
Civil defence rescue workers administering first aid to a released casualty from the exercise site

London firefighters training at Brigade HQ, Lambeth SE1
LCC-LFB firefighters (recruits) undergoing pump training in the drill yard of Brigade HQ

Children playing violins
A girl and a boy stand by a window in silhouette playing violins while another girl looks at some sheet music

These are scenes from the London Orphan Asylum in Watford

Members of the Guide International Service, rehearsing mass food preparation and serving in the open air

Buddy Bradleys dance school
Principal Boys, including Patricia Burke and Jean Gillie, practising their dance moves for the pantomime season at Buddy Bradleys dance school. Date: 1940

The Hoffman Girls in rehearsals
The Hoffman Girls, the dance troupe founded, managed and choreographed by Gertrude Hoffman

Silhouette, Practising a Duet. late 19th century

Boy practising archery in a wood. Date: circa 1980s

MFB firemen practising rescue techniques, with a man about to jump from an upper window. Date: circa 1890s

Chinese warriors from Eastern Tartary practising their archery Date: 1752

JAPANESE FLOWER ART
A Japanese woman practising Ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging. Date: 1930s

FRENCH BOURGEOIS FAMILY
Papa with his journal, mama with her sewing, the two older girls practising duets, the youngsters playing with the cat - while a log burns cheerfully in the hearth Date: 1897

DEBS CURTSEYING 1934
Debutante pupils of Mrs Ruby Peeler practice their curtseys ready for presentation at court. They have practice trains pinned on the back of their frocks. Date: 1934

BAYONET DRILL / WW1 / 1918
Highlanders practising bayonet drill, World War One. Date: 1918

SOCIAL / JAPANESE LADIES
Japanese ladies practising shooting with the crossbow indoors Date: 1776

FRENCH FAMILY IN SALON
Papa with his journal, mama with her sewing, the two older girls practising duets, the youngsters playing with the cat - while a log burns cheerfully in the hearth Date: 1897

FRANCE / 1396 / QUITTING
Accused of practising magic against her brother-in-law, the imbecile king Charles VI le Fou, the duchesse dOrleans has to leave Paris for Asnieres Date: circa 1396

Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester, public penance London
Eleanor Cobham(c.1400-1452), Duchess of Gloucester, accused of practising magic to help her husband Humphrey to the throne, does public penance in the streets of London. Date: 13th November 1441

English Yokel practising maths on slate 1858
An English Yokel practising his maths on a slate. Date: 1858

NFS firefighters at a training camp, WW2
NFS firefighters at a training camp in Northwood, Middlesex

Carol Practice
Practising carols in the village church

16th Parachute Brigade training, RAF Abingdon
Soldiers of the 16th Parachute Brigade undergoing training at RAF Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Date: 1962

16th Parachute Brigade training
Two soldiers of the 16th Parachute Brigade undergoing training. Date: 1962

Sky diver practising in a field. Date: circa 1963

Sky diver practising before a show. Date: 1965

Man standing on his head in the road
A man stops his Bedford van to practise yoga by standing on his head in the road. Is he also going to attempt to drink the glass of milk standing at his elbow? Date: 1960s

Schoolgirls practising gymnastics to music (provided by an upright piano). Date: circa 1920s

British infantry practising an attack, WW1. 1914-1918

Ishbel Macdonald playing golf on board the Berengaria
Miss Ishbel Macdonald, daughter of Ramsay Macdonald, playing golf on board the Berengaria during a transatlantic voyage. Date: 1929

Emperor Huizong (1082-1135) with the Buddhist sect Tao-See
Emperor Huizong (1082-1135), reign (1100-1126). Song dynasty. The emperor with the Buddhist sect Tao-See. Miniature from a History of the Emperors of China. Colour on silk. Chinese School

Members of Synchronised Swimming Team, Bournemouth
Three members of Aquabelles Synchronised Swimming Team, Bournemouth: Anita Jocelyn, June Russel and Edwina Reeks. Date: 1956

Aquabelles - Synchronised Swimming Team, Bournemouth - rehearsing for their review Aquafantasia at Bournemouth Pier Approach Baths Date: circa 1956

Mrs Mills, celebrity pianist, with boy at piano
Mrs Mills (Gladys Mills, nee Gladys Jordan, 1918-1978), celebrity pianist. Seen here encouraging a boy to stick at his piano practice. Date: circa 1960s

Mrs Mills, celebrity pianist, with boy and dog
Mrs Mills (Gladys Mills, nee Gladys Jordan, 1918-1978), celebrity pianist. Seen here encouraging a boy to stick at his piano practice, while a dog sits on a chair looking mournful. Date: circa 1960s

Debutantes learning to curtsey, 1929
Debutantes of 1929 learning to curtsey under the guidance of Madame Vacani, in preparation for presentation at court. Date: 1929

Auxiliary Fire Service gas mask training, WW2
Women of the Auxiliary Fire Service undergoing gas mask training during the Second World War. Date: 1940

Michael Teuber
MICHAEL TEUBER German jurist, practising at Wittenberg. Date: 1524 - ?

LCC-LFB rescue drills at Brigade HQ
Two escape ladders and two hook ladders at work on the Headquarters main drill tower and firefighters performing rescues by carrying down and lowering by line using live casualties

LFCDA-LFB Recruits undergoing basic training
Located at Southwark Bridge Road, SE1, the London Fire Brigade Training School is responsible for providing basic training to all its recruit firefighters

LCC-LFB Brigade HQ Annual Review hook ladder drill
These coordinated hook ladders drills were a popular feature during the annual displays at Lambeth Headquarters

AFS volunteers undergoing hose drill, WW2
The Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) was created in 1938 to supplement the regular London Fire Brigade

LCC-LFB-AFS training -- tying a knot
The Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) was created in 1938 to supplement the regular London Fire Brigade

Training volunteers of an industrial works
Industrial works fire brigade firefighters being instructed in the use of a hose line and the correct method of controlling a branch (jet of water)

LCC-LFB Massey Shaw fireboat, Blackfriars, London
Tied up at her Blackfriars moorings, the Massey Shaw fireboat gives a demonstration of her fire power from her Merryweather pumps

LCC-LFB fireboat Gamma II with monitor in use at drill
The counter-weighted monitor of a London Fire Brigade fireboat in use whilst the fireboat is moored near Hungerford Bridge on the River Thames

LFB fireboat Beta II at Cherry Garden Pier
LCC-LFB fireboat Beta II (the sister craft to fireboat Beta) moored off its fire station at Cherry Garden Pier, Rotherhithe, SE London

LCC-LFB fireboats using monitors on the Thames, WW2
Auxiliary and regular firefighters getting monitors and jets of water to work from fireboats and a Thames barge near Westminster Bridge, adjacent to the Houses of Parliament

Combined Civil Defence exercise, WW2
Civil defence rescue workers carrying a casualty from the exercise site. A policewoman and a nurse are with the rescue team

Two man hook ladders drills at Lambeth HQ
Four London firefighters performing two-man hook ladder drills on the Brigade headquarters nine-storey drill tower

Three acrobats doing balancing act on a high wire
Three acrobats doing a balancing act on a high wire in the open air

Fire Brigade - Abadan Oilfield, Iran
A group of Iranian firefighters practising the swift deployment of the hose from their engine at the Abadan oilfield, Iran

Old Hag - Stratton
A typical old hag - old women such as her are liable to be accused of practising black magic and witchcraft

Teenage Ballet Dancer. Date: 1929

Bayonet training H. A. C. Reserve 1916
Honourable Artillery Company at Camp en Route training ground, practising close combat with bayonet and sandbags. Date: 1916

Training H. A. C. Reserves 1916
Honourable Artillery Company at Camp en Route training ground, practising essential requirements needed for battle at the Front in World War One. Date: 1916

American and Canadian troops, WW1
American and Canadian troops during the First World War

Little boy practising cricket in garden, Ealing, West London
Little boy (Harold Auerbach) practising cricket in his back garden at Ealing, West London. He is wearing his Durston House School sports uniform. 1906

All products are expertly crafted, using premium materials, tailored to your specifications and promptly shipped