Norman Wisdom / RankNORMAN WISDOM British slapstick comedian on film, stage and TV
How to recognise rank in the Royal Navy-a wartime advert for Dunlop fort tyres. Date: 1941
A Night to Remember, film posterPoster advertising the 1958 film, A Night to Remember, starring Kenneth More, based on the Titanic disaster of 1912
Samurai ElevatedIn the 8th century, during the Fujiwara era, the military order of Samurai are elevated to an elite rank above other citizens, with a strict moral code and high cultural values
Lord Louis Mountbatten (1900-1979), younger son of Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse. Lord Louis ultimately rose to the rank of First Sea Lord - a vindication of his father
Brompton Oratory, London. Date: circa 1905
Valerie Hobson, actress, on Blend-Rite hair grips cardValerie Hobson (1917-1998), British film actress, on a Blend-Rite hair grips card. circa 1940s
Native of Yap carrying stone moneyA native man from Yap wearing a mangrove wood comb in his hair (a sign of high rank) carrying stone money on a pole over his shoulder. Date: 1937
Phoenician art. Cyprus. Bust of a bearded man. 6th century BC. Archaic Period. Limestone. It comes from Golgoi (Cyprus). Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York. United States
View of the main entrance to Waterloo Station, LondonView of the famous main entrance to Waterloo Station, London. According to the clock, it is 11:10 in the morning, when most people are already at work. A row of taxis waits outside. Date: circa 1930s
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan - Railway Station Date: circa 1910s
Curacao - Willemstad - Queen Emma BridgeCuracao - a Dutch dependency in the West Indies. View of Willemstad and the Queen Emma Bridge, a pontoon bridge across St. Anna Bay, built in 1888. Date: circa 1910s
Delivering Flour to the Queen MaryJosph Rank Ltd. Millers - delivering Flour to the RMS Queen Mary, then Britains largest ship. She sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line. Date: 1936
Mandarins WifeThe wife of a Chinese mandarin in the fine robes befitting her exalted rank
Ashanti FuneralThe funeral of an Ashanti of rank
British soldier in uniform, 1915, WW1A British private soldier, commonly known as a Tommy with annotations showing the tools and equipment that made up his kit when marching to the trenches during the First World War
WW2 - R. A. F. Rank DistinctionsAn illustrated educational disagram which displays the rank distinctions of the British Royal Air Force during WW2. Date: circa 1940s
Market Square, Johannesburg, South Africa. Date: 1905
Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarevich Alexei, School at BakhmutRussia - Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich reviewing the children of the popular school Venus in Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine. Date: circa 1913
Group of Chinese Ladies of RankPierre Joseph Rossier. Views in China issued by Negretti and Zambra in 1859 and 1861. First Series and second series. These important images were the first commercial views of China to be sold in
Canton. Group of Chinese Ladies of RankPierre Joseph Rossier. Views in China issued by Negretti and Zambra in 1859 and 1861. First Series and second series. These important images were the first commercial views of China to be sold in
Two Chinese Ladies of Rank sitting for their PortraitsPierre Joseph Rossier. Views in China issued by Negretti and Zambra in 1859 and 1861. First Series and second series. These important images were the first commercial views of China to be sold in
Turkey. Ottoman Empire. Turkish army troops. From left to right: Chatir, Pasha, militiaman, Harbagi, Egyptian soldier and another militiaman. Engraving by Lemaitre, Lalaisse and Chaillot
William Walker and Sons Dri-Ped AdvertisementAn advertisement drawing for William Walker & Sons Ltd, promoting Dri-Ped leather, which bears the purple diamond trademark
Photograph of Persian woman wearing full veil or burkhaFront cover photograph, of Persian woman wearing full veil or burkha. Captioned, The latest portrait of a society beauty: a Persian lady of rank'
Types of Soldier, Russian Army8 examples of the types of soldier from different sections and ranks of the Russian Army, and the varying uniforms and equipment they hold
Turkey. Escort of a provincial governor Pasha. EngravingOttoman Empire. Turkey. Escort of a provincial governor Pasha (higher rank in the Ottoman political and military system). Engraving by Lemaitre, Lalaisse and Montaut
Turkey - Vice Admiral, Captain, Navy Officer and SailorOttoman Empire. Turkey. From left to right: Vice Admiral, Captain, Navy Officer and Sailor (ca. 1780). Engraving by Lemaitre, Lalaisse and Monnin
Cloak that the Hawaiian chiefs wore as a symbol of statusCloak that the Hawaiian chiefs wore as a symbol of their high social status. Feather and vegetale fibre. Polynesia. Hawaiian Islands, United States. Last third of the 18th century
Captain John PiperA portrait oil painting of John Piper, a military officer in the colony of New South Wales, who was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1800. He is seen here wearing his uniform. Date: 1826
King George VI inspecting the Yeomen of the GuardKing George VI (1895-1952) inspecting the Yeomen of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. The Yeomen are under the Captaincy of Arthur Chichester, Colonel The Lord Templemore (1880-1953). Date: 1939
A rank of Rickshaws on Nunobiki Road, Kobe, Japan. Date: circa 1910s
Hawker Siddeley HS-125-3A G-ATZN (msn 25116), of the Rank Organisation. Date: circa 1970
The then new Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station, showing the taxi rank. The station was renovated again in 2002. Date: 1960s
A cab rank in central London - a mixture of hansoms (two- wheelers) and victorias (four- wheelers). Date: 1902
London and Middlesex fire brigade rank markingsThe rank markings worn on senior and junior officers uniforms. The upper row were worn on officers walking-out uniform, the middle row were worn on their fire uniform
Great Central Railway - Marylebone Station. The newspaper headlines on the left give a perfect date for this photograph of May 1906 as they detail the British victory in the Bambatha (Bambaata)
1st Rank French pre-dreadnought battleship the Republique. Date: circa 1917
Front cover of The Tatler featuring a portrait of Countess Poulett, formerly the actress Sylvia Storey, who married Lord Poulett in 1908
Sailors in front of a decorated ships sternFrontispiece illustration showing 18th and 19th century sailors in front of a decorated ships stern. Woodblock print by J
44th Regiment at GundamuckIn 1841 the 44th was in Kabul where uprising endangered the garrison. Constantly attacked, without shelter or food, the force waded in deep snow through narrow passes for four days trying to reach
Chinese mandarins barge. The mandarin takes lunch in the cabin waited on by servants. The two umbrellas are a sign of his authority
A Mandarin (magistrate) of the Fifth Class going to court in full dress, Qing Dynasty China. Robe with an embroidered square indicating his rank
Young Licentiate or doctor riding a horse celebrating his graduation and proceeded by youths with banners showing his new rank
High-ranking person in sedan chair, China. 19th century
Interval drinks at the Olympia, Paris, WW1Interval drinks at the Olympia, a music hall in Paris, painting by Charles Henry Tenre, First World War, showing Allied soldiers of all nationalities and different ranks. circa 1918
Advertisement for Players Medium Navy Cut cigarettesThe Cut of the Navy - Players Please - fantastic advertisement for Players Medium Navy Cut cigarettes, featuring a Royal Naval Lieutenant (note sleeve rank insignia) (out on manoeuvres)