Apron Collection

Coopers at work making wooden barrels
Four coopers hard at work in their workshop making traditional wooden barrels. Painting by Malcolm Greensmith

Blacksmiths outside their forge
A superb photograph of six Blacksmiths and coachbuilders posing for a photograph outside their forge/workshop, each holding the tools of their trade

Olney Pancake Race
SHROVE TUESDAY The starter line for the Olney pancake race which has been held in the village for over 500 years. Any Olney woman over 18 can compete

Girl playing Nurse
A young girl in her nurses outfit, tends to her teddys injuries with copious bandaging, whilst a pet cat watches on. She seems to be getting her medical knowledge from the First Aid manual in her

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Group photo, Claridges Hotel kitchen staff, Mayfair, London W1. Date: 1908

Galley, Zeppelin LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, 1933. The Graf Zeppelin was the most successful airship ever built. Between its first flight in 1928 and retirement in 1937

Poster advertising Sunlight Soap -- for rest and leisure. Date: early 20th century

Cider press at Hillgrove, Sussex
Two men with a cider press at Hillgrove, Sussex November 1933 George Garland Collection West Sussex Record Office Ref No: Garland N8161

Europe, England, West Yorkshire, Leeds. Grand Theatre

Member of the First World War Womens Land Army, Truro, Cornwall. Around 1917
A picture of an unknown member of the Womens Land Army. Photographer: Arthur William Jordan

Minoan art. Crete. Prince of the Lilies. Dated circa 1550 BC. Brings the Minoan belt and headdress made A?a?A?a?of lilies and peacock feathers. Fresco from the palace of Knossos

Champagne Hoard
Lining up bottles of champagne in rows in preparation for a wealthy Argentine society event at the Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Date: 1930s

Alice in Wonderland, Alice in the White Rabbits house. Date: early 20th century

The Derby 1923 by Cecil Aldin
Leaving the post at the start of the Derby of 1923, a race famously won by Papyrus, owned by Mr B. Irish and ridden by Steve Donoghue

Welsh woman with spinning wheel, Wales
Welsh woman outside a cottage with a spinning wheel, Wales. Date: late 19th century

British gunners, Battle of the Somme, WW1
British gunners in action during the Battle of the Somme, First World War. Their guns are on " Percy Scott" mountings, with rather colourful camouflage paint. Date: 1918

L Papa and Sons ice cream vendor in Gravesend, Kent. 1939

PLYMOUTH ROCK: LANDING. The landing of John Alden, Mary Chilton and other Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock in 1620: American engraving, 19th century

PILGRIMS: THANKSGIVING, 1621. The First Thanksgiving of the Pilgrims, 1621. After a painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris

Churning milk to make butter
Girl working a churn on a spring morning. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

St Elizabeth of Hungary Spinning Wool for the Poor, 1901. Elizabeth (1207-1231) was the daughter of Andras II of Hungary. After the death in 1227 of her husband Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia

Garcon De Cafe 1850
A French garcon de cafe, or cafe waiter. Date: 1850

Butchers Shop, High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex
W Snelling Butchers Shop, 11 High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. circa 1900

Women of Tudor England
City women and a country-woman in Elizabethan England, 1500s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Llewellin Churn Works, Haverfordwest, South Wales
A group of employees, mostly women, of the Llewellin Churn Works at North Gate, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Dyfed, South Wales

Music cover for Two Marionettes Polka, composed by May Ostlere. Two puppets (without strings!) are depicted dancing on a small stage, framed by red and gold curtains

Shetland knitter, Shetland Islands, Scotland. She is knitting as she walks along with a bulky load on her back. Date: late 19th century

German Massage Parlour
Greetings from the Massage Parlour ! A young lady in spotty swimwear is treated (rather vigourously I would imagine) by a rather solid-looking Masseuse, who is kneading away at knots

Typesetting by hand, Morning Post newspaper, London
A roomful of male compositors in London, typesetting the pages of the Morning Post newspaper by hand

Street scene with shops, Crickhowell, Powys, Mid Wales
A street scene with shops, in Crickhowell, Powys, Mid Wales. The large corner shop is Bells grocery store, decorated with flags, perhaps to celebrate Empire Day (24 May)

Cobblers shop front, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, South Wales
View of a cobblers shop front in St David s, Pembrokeshire, Dyfed, South Wales. The cobbler and his apprentice (possibly his son) stand outside the shop

Blacksmith at work in his forge
An elderly blacksmith hammering a horseshoe on his anvil. The owner of the horse awaiting a new set of shoes looks in at the window, while the blacksmiths cat scratches an ear on the work bench

Two Cobblers Mend Shoes
Two cobblers, seated on a low bench in their workshop, set about repairing shoes and fitting new soles

English politician. Photographed at her home in Chelsea, England, 1975, shortly before being named leader of
MARGARET THATCHER (1925- ). English politician. Photographed at her home in Chelsea, England, 1975, shortly before being named leader of the Conservative Party

Poster advertising Pollards Storefitters, showing workmen busy with their carpentry. 20th century

Girls filling penny tins of mustard, Norwich, Norfolk
Girls at work filling penny tins of mustard at the firm of J Colman Ltd, Norwich, Norfolk

Poster advertising Pettijohns breakfast food, showing Red Riding Hood -- or is it Goldilocks? -- and a family of bears sharing an outdoor breakfast together in the woods

Puff Pastry Recipies
A woman makes various things out of puff pastry

Who will buy my sweet blooming lavender?
Old Street Cries -- Who will buy my sweet blooming lavender? 20th century

Older Woman Baking 1947
An older woman wearing a flowery apron rolls out pastry for some home baking

Penny-Ice Man / Crane
The ice cream man sells penny licks to the children gathered around his cart

Kodak Cameras 1930S
Putting the finishing touches to Kodak cameras. Date: 1930s

Biergarten waitress carrying beer tankards
A Biergarten waitress carrying tankards of beer

Dickens / M. Chuzzlewit
The Life & Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit. Sarah (Sairey) Gamp, midwife, nurse and layer out of the dead, wearing an apron and a bonnet

Sidmouth, West of Esplanade, 1860 / 94. Creator: Francis Bedford
Sidmouth, West of Esplanade, 1860/94. Albumen print

Young peasant woman in a wood, Finland. Date: 1922

Minnie Duncan music hall coster act
Minnie Duncan of the music hall double act Duncan and Godfrey (Arthur Godfrey). Wearing coster costume of long black skirt with full-length white apron, shawl and large hat with ostrich feathers

Gibbs Happy Families - Mrs Bun the Bakers wife. 20th century

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In the realm of craftsmanship, aprons serve as loyal companions to artisans like coopers meticulously crafting wooden barrels. Their sturdy fabric shields them from wood shavings and resinous stains, allowing their skills to flourish unhindered. During the tumultuous times of the First World War, aprons became a symbol of resilience and determination for women in the Land Army. In Truro, Cornwall circa 1917, these brave ladies donned their aprons with pride as they fearlessly worked the land, ensuring food security amidst chaos. Stepping into Alice's whimsical wonderland brings us face-to-apron with peculiar scenes. Inside the White Rabbit's house, an oversized apron hangs on a hook - a reminder that even in fantasy realms, practicality has its place. History weaves tales of compassion too; St Elizabeth of Hungary spun wool for the poor while wearing her humble apron in 1901. Her selflessness is immortalized through this simple garment that protected her clothes but also embodied her commitment to helping those less fortunate. The clangs and sparks emanating from blacksmiths' forges are accompanied by resilient leather aprons shielding them from flying embers. These protectors allow skilled hands to shape metal into formidable tools and works of art alike. Childhood games often mirror reality; thus we find young girls playing nurse while adorned with makeshift aprons fashioned from bedsheets or scraps of cloth. Their nurturing spirits shine through as they care for imaginary patients with boundless love and empathy. Amidst bustling city streets lies Leeds' Grand Theatre where performers adorn themselves backstage with elegant satin-lined stage aprons before captivating audiences under dazzling lights - a testament to both glamour and hard work behind-the-scenes. As majestic Zeppelins soared across European skies in 1933, crew members wore specialized fire-resistant flight suits complete with durable leather aprons. The zeppelin's galley bustled beneath these protective garments, ensuring that even amidst the clouds, culinary excellence prevailed.