Photographs I've gleaned from flea markets, junk shops and sometimes ebay. The cheaper the better. Anything with a story that can be extracted from hand written notes, location research, local histories, census records......anything. A small band of fellow enthusiasts worldwide have helped me with many of these. Of course there are always mysteries that defy research, but there's even a story inside these. All images can be viewed at super-size on Flickr.

Friday 27 July 2012

Sports

Cricket on the beach. Unidentified location

My contribution to the Sepia Saturday theme. Some recent finds from the flea markets. A cricket match on an unidentified beach. A team of athletes from the British Workers' Sports Federation giving the raised-fist salute. The BWSF were a mainly communist organisation and the occasion is probably one of the Workers' Olympiads in the 1930s, maybe the one in Antwerp in 1937. Lastly, the cheerful 'Womens' League of Health and Beauty' parading through what looks like an English seaside town (maybe Brighton, where I found it).

British Workers' Sports Federation (BWSF) team. 1930s. The women's league of health and beauty.

13 comments:

  1. It looks like the women on parade had some sort of choreographed routine going. Very interesting collection of pictures.

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  2. What wonderful photographs - each and every one of them. What a great find. If I had been at the same flea market you would have had to fight me for them (in the nicest possible Sepia Saturday way)

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  3. The Women's League does look quite healthy! nice.

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    1. They still exist! http://www.thefitnessleague.com/

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  4. That look's like serious beach cricket in that fine photograph.

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  5. A wonderful selection! I am your newest follower.

    Kathy M.

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  6. A great collection for sure. Love the old photos of women supporting the exercise importance in health.
    QMM

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  7. What an interesting post and great photo, thanks for sharing!

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  8. The ladies are all big strapping lasses!

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  9. I think I would have been in that flea market bidding war too, the real world equivalent of an eBay bidding frenzy - a fascinating set of pictures, but my favourite is the unusual one of the BWSF athletes giving the salute.

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    1. That was an interesting one. It was part of a set but the other photos were a bit dull, just individual athletes posing, so I didn't buy them.

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  10. Does anyone know the history behing this photo on the back of a lorry? What year & town? Thanks

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    1. 1950's. probably Eastbourne, not Brighton as I originally thought.

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