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The Bright Young People - mock Rayner-Ponsonby weddingA group of Bright Young Things indulging in one of their many silly pranks, in this case a mock wedding where Elizabeth Ponsonby married John Rayner. The best man was Robert Byron
The Party by Muriel DawsonA little girl in a pink dress entertains her toys with a tea party in her playroom
Bonzo palms the pill by George StuddyBonzo palms the pill -- he is given a pill, but only pretends to take it
Rock a Bye Baby by Muriel DawsonA little girl in a charming sun hat, sits in a hammock and rocks her doll to sleep
Little Girl on the phone at a Trade ShowA little girl on the telephone seated on the desk of a stand at a Trade Show. The Midlands Gas Board stand can be seen in the background. Photograph by Norman Synge Waller Budd
Colonel Barker - Valerie Smith Page from The Graphic reporting on the case of ColonelPage from The Graphic reporting on the case of Colonel Barker (aka John Hill and Geoffrey Norton), who was born Lilias Irma Valerie Barker in 1895
DAVENPORT POSTER 2Poster for Ira Davenport, who returned to the stage after the death of his brother William : pretending to be spirit mediums they were skilful stage magicians. Date: 1894
Funny little toddler boy pretending to be a Strongmaninsertcaption Date: circa 1920s
Ethel and her young brother in fancy dressEthel and her younger brother in fine fancy dress costume - this scene is in part a satire on the penchant for women to wear large and enveloping hats during this period. Date: 1913
Two children in fancy dress; the little boy is dressed as a chef while a little girl makes a very respectable maid or waitress. Date: 1920s
Behind the scenes in a film studio 1924Various trick techniques used to achieve certain effects in a film studio, sketched by D. Macpherson in The Sphere
Holding up the pillarThree men and two small children pretend to be supporting the weight of a rather precariously leaning pillar - part of quite a grand countryside entrance way. Date: late 1930s
Sir Edward George Clarke and Joseph ChamberlainA Queer C. Sir Edward George Clarke (1841-1931), British Statesman and Lawyer and (in background, shooting) Joseph Chamberlain (1836-1914). Date: 1900
Queen Elizabeth I dancing in her Palace in all her fineryQueen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) is pictured here dancing before a rich man in her Palace wearing a beautiful skirt with a corset and her traditional thick layer of make-up
Three French women (pretending to be Spanish) pose in a photographic studio as musician, dancer and (male!) bullfighter !! Date: 1910s
Members of the Ballet Montmartre pose for artist, HarrogateMembers of the Ballet Montmartre (on tour in the UK as part of an all-French Variety Bill) pose for Hungarian Artist Jean-Georges Simon in Harrogate
Human models pretending to be a marble statueA pair of nude (mostly) human models pretending to be a marble statues, complete with rocky plinth! Date: circa 1910s
Two little girls sitting on 1934 Matchless motorcycleTwo little girls sitting on 1934 Matchless 250cc OHV motorcycle posing for camera in the 1930s
Cartoon, Anti-Saccharites, or John Bull and his Family leaving off the use of Sugar, by James Gillray
Davenport BrothersThe brothers William and Ira Davenport, pretending to be spirit mediums but actually clever stage magicians
Two anthropomorphic cat entertainers as The Dolly SistersIn the footsteps of the Dolly Sisters - two anthropomorphic cat entertainers in the performing guise of the Dolly Sisters
Playing schoolTwo children (and their dog) line up their toys to play schools. Date: c.1920
Miss Evelyn Millard in The Adventure of Lady UrsulaThe Adventure of Lady Ursula by Anthony Hope. First produced at the Duke of Yorks Theatre, London, on 11 October 1898, revival at the Garrick Theatre 5 January 1909
Richard III - pretending he is too holy to want to become king. 1862
Children pretending to cook. Date: early 1960s
Cartoon, The Little War, WW1Cartoon, The Little War. Children playing a war game. One of them tells his friend: Don t yell like that, you re supposed to be dead! Date: 1917
Seven young Japanese toddlers fooling around Date: circa 1906
Jeanne Comtesse du Barry and two adolescent girlsJEANNE, COMTESSE DU BARRY (1743 - 1793) Mistress of Louis XV : in a garden with two adolescent girls, one pretending to be a statue while the other seems to be imploring her... Date: circa 1770
Boy in policemans uniform in a garden, pretending to direct traffic. Date: circa 1920s
Cartoon, Convalescent leave, WW1Cartoon, Convalescent leave, showing two girls chatting to a little boy dressed as a soldier who has a bandage on his knee
Cartoon, Mutiny, WW1Cartoon, Mutiny -- French children playing war games, some of them representing the German enemy. They are in the Rue St Vincent, Montmartre, Paris, near the Sacre Coeur. Date: 1915
Wilson and Nelstrop asleep on Coniston Water, Lake DistrictWilson and Nelstrop asleep on a boat on Coniston, Lake District, or more likely pretending to sleep - another photograph giving the lie to Edwardian conformity. Date: circa 1907
Two men in rowing boat, Coniston, identified as Wilson and Nelstrop the photographers friends, pretending to sleep as the boat drifts away. Date: circa 1907
A child pretending he is a musician. Illustration published in Harpers Magazine. Engraving
Children play at tanks by Leslie ShawWe re not little wretches - we re the Tanks!" Two little boys, with heads in coal scuttles pretend to be tanks and scare their girl playmate. Date: 1917
Soliders of the King, Children playing at war, WW1Charming illustration showing a line of little boys queuing up outside a recruiting office dressed up as soldiers with the imaginative use of a variety of boxes, flags, paper hats and borrowed items
Children playing 1895Three children pretend that they are on a horse and cart, using dining room chairs and a little horse on wheels as transport. Date: 1895
Kissing her Majestys hand, learning to curtsey at courtA young woman is tutored in the art of gracefully dropping to a curtsey during her presentation at court at the school of Miss Cowper Coles
Little girl writing a letter by Muriel DawsonA little girl pretending to write a letter by Muriel Dawson Date: circa 1920s
Advertisement for Lifeguard soap -- little girl and adult female models posing (Sandra Palmer and Geraldine Hill). 1959
Two European girls dressed as Geishas playing music (on a Shamisen-style instrument) during the tea ceremony. Date: circa 1910s
Two European girls dressed as Geishas enact the Tea Ceremony Date: circa 1910s
WW1 - Cute patriotic British postcard - emulating ancestorsWW1 - Cute patriotic British postcard - a little boy strives to emulate the military feats of our ancestors, or in this case his elders! Date: circa 1916
WW1 era - Comic Postcard - On Neutral Ground - a young boy stands with flag aloft, surrounded by his defenders as the ominous spectre of Nanny approaches... Date: circa 1916
British troops in India pretend to be rock-breaking convictsBritish troops stationed in India having a bit of fun playing at being convicts
A girl in need of rescue - Comic PostcardA humorous American seaside postcard with the caption: " Just a Mere Maid looking for a LIfe Guard
Russian Boys playing war gamesTwo young Russian Boys take sides in this propaganda postcard from the First World War era, one pretending to be the valiant Russian Forces, fighting from behind their defences (foreground)
Hypnotist directing a group of people to do unusual things: men pretending to race while seated on man suspended between two chairs and audience volunteering for military duty with brooms as rifles
A morning driveChildren pretending to be riding in a horse and trap, from a postcard series of games and pastimes. Date: 1904
The Queen of Make-Believe by Richard B. OgleA small girl with a solemn expression sits on a throne in a long while dress, holding a sceptre while two toy soldiers stand guard either side of her. Date: 1925
Cartoon - The Officers MessThe Officers Mess! Four young boys playing at being soldiers act in a very un-soldier-like manner, eating, drinking and generally lounging about! Date: circa 1915
Dollies weddingA group of girls have a pretend wedding ceremony, playing the bride and groom, vicar and guesses. Date: 1882
Children in their pirates cavePretending to be pirates Date: Circa 1880
Three boys playing at Motoring - two drive their wooden pretend car, complete with strapped in seat, horn (s) and solid wooden wheels
Two boys playing at riding a Carriage. One urges on the team of four piebald hobby horses with a whip, while the other sends forth a blast on his horn announcing their departure. Date: circa 1910s
Two illustrations, The Queen of the Pirate Isle, showing (1) Polly riding on the back of her cousin Hickory Hunt, as they pretend to make for a desert island in a storm
Three boys playing at Fox Hunting, two on their hobby horses and one wearing a fox suit! They even have two dogs with them. Date: circa 1910s
Four boys playing at Bullfighting. The dead wooden bull is dragged away by a team of two piebald rocking horses Date: circa 1910s
Initiation of the Private SecretaryCeremonial initiation consisting of the enactment of a heated discussion between two Brothers pretending to be Salomon and the King of Tyr. 1890s
Children in Nursery 1905Children playing games in the nursery; a boy pretends his two little sisters are horses! circa 1905
Now then, John, whip them orse up or we shan t catch the tSimple wooden box on wheels turns into a horse a cart with a little bit of a childs emagination. Date: 1897
Off to Market by Muriel DawsonA sweet little girl in an orange dress, carries a brightly striped umbrella and a blue basket on her way to market
My Tea Party by Muriel DawsonA small blonde girl enjoys playing with a toy tea set. A tiny toy soldier on the other side of the table appears to be her only guest
Tea Time by Muriel DawsonA little girl with blonde hair sits in a chair and solemnly feeds her baby doll
Children play with pretend Motor CarTwo young children convert the family wheelbarrow into a far more exciting pretend Motor Car
Learning how to bring on an overtaking car / W H RobinsonIllustration by William Heath Robinson. Please note: Credit must appear as Courtesy of the estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger Ltd/Mary Evans Picture Library
Childrens CarnivalTwo children dressed up for a fancy dress party. A little girl has a rather nice witch outfit with a dress appliqued with black cats and a broom, while a little boy has come as a swashbuckling pirate
Wilson as HypocriteWOODROW WILSON depicted as a hypocrite, pretending to be neutral but in practice aiding the English
Davenports in PolandStage magicians William and Ira Davenport toured the world pretending to be spirit mediums : a poster for their performances in Poland
Boy and GlobeA boy holds a globe above his head, perhaps pretending to be Atlas ?
Thought ReadingThe fashionable amusement of pretending to discern ideas in other persons minds has adepts who occasionally succ- -eed in performing this feat to the wonder of spectators
Pretending GhostA man dresses up as an archetypal ghost and stands in a graveyard flapping his drapes, alarming passers-by