30 Found Photos of England During Edwardian Era

The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910, and is sometimes expanded to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victorian era. Her son and successor, Edward VII, was already the leader of a fashionable elite that set a style influenced by the art and fashions of continental Europe.

Samuel Hynes described the Edwardian era as a “leisurely time when women wore picture hats and did not vote, when the rich were not ashamed to live conspicuously, and the sun really never set on the British flag.”

The Liberals returned to power in 1906 and made significant reforms. Below the upper class, the era was marked by significant shifts in politics among sections of society that had largely been excluded from power, such as laborers, servants, and the industrial working class. Women started to play more of a role in politics.

These amazing photos were found by Photos of the Past that show what life of England looked like during Edwardian era.

Cine camera and actors in armor

A day at the seaside

Bathing huts at the seaside

Berkshire. All Saints Church, Bisham

Birmingham Council House

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Fascinating Vintage Black and White Photos of Londoners in 1981

From the 1950s onwards London became home to a large number of immigrants, largely from Commonwealth countries, turning it into one of the most diverse cities in Europe. However, the integration of the new immigrants was not always easy. Racial tensions emerged in events such as the Brixton Riots in 1981, which resulted from racist discrimination against the black community by the mainly-white police. 

On May 7, Ken Livingstone becomes leader of the Greater London Council after Labour wins the GLC elections. Political disputes between the GLC run by Ken Livingstone and the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher in the early 1980s would later lead to the GLC's abolition in 1986. 

On Wednesday, 29 July 1981, the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer took place at St Paul's Cathedral in London, United Kingdom. Their marriage was widely billed as a “fairytale wedding” and the “wedding of the century”. It was watched by an estimated global television audience of 750 million people.

These pictures of London in 1981 were taken by Simon Nowicki, a street photographer who has practiced the art of photography for over 35 years. His works are influenced by the likes of Henry Cartier-Bresson, Paul Strand, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander and Rennie Ellis. More fascinating photographs of daily lives could be found at Nowicki's amazing Flickr site.

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Famous Photograph of Mandy Rice-Davies and Christine Keeler Taking a Lunch Break in a London Pub, 1963

Doreen Spooner was the first female staff photographer on a British national newspaper. In a career stretching from the late 1940s to the 1990s, mostly at the Daily Mirror, she became, unintentionally, something of a feminist icon.

Her big break came in 1963 when, during the Profumo affair, she scooped a picture of Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies in a London pub, shot from inside the ladies’ loo in murky conditions. Doreen fled before the irate landlord could grab her camera. The photograph made the front pages in the UK and the US – and also made her name.

Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice Davies in Henekey’s Long Bar in Holborn (now called the Cittie of Yorke).

The picture on the front page of Daily Mirror.

Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies taking a break from the trial of society osteopath Stephen Ward at the Old Bailey on July 22, 1963. (Photo by Doreen Spooner/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

Atora Made Great Steak Pudding Cups From the 1930s

You will be charmed with these dainty little puddings —so wonderfully light and digestible when made with ‘Atora.’ The novelty of a small pudding for each person makes a refreshing change; and not only that — you are able to prepare just the right quantity without risk of running short or having wasteful left-overs.

Atora is a British brand of pre-shredded suet (the hard fat around the kidneys) first introduced in 1893. As suet most commonly needs to be shredded in its typical uses in British cuisine (e.g. in pie crusts, steamed puddings, and dumplings), Atora can be seen as a labor-saving convenience item. Here’s the recipe of steak pudding cups made by Atora from the 1930s:

4 oz. Self-raising Flour or 4 oz. Plain Flour & 1/2 tea-spoonful Baking Powder.

2 oz. fine Breadcrumbs. Pinch of Salt.

3 oz. Shredded “ATORA.”

Mix these ingredients. Add cold water to make a moist paste, firm enough to handle. Cut 9 oz. steak into thin strips and 3 oz. ox kidney into pieces. Roll in a tablespoonful flour seasoned with salt and pepper, then wrap each piece of steak around a piece of kidney. Grease 4 breakfast cups (or bowls of similar size) and line them with paste. Put in filling (3 oz. per cup), fill with water or stock, cover with paste, then with buttered paper. Tie cloths over and steam for 3 hours.

Marianne Faithfull Photographed by Doreen Spooner, October 1964

Doreen Spooner was probably the first female photographer to have a staff job for a popular British newspaper. Due to an alcoholic husband and a distinct lack of money she joined the Daily Mirror in 1962. In a career stretching from the late 1940s to the 1990s, she became something of a feminist icon.

These fascinating black and white photographs of Marianne Faithfull at her flat in London were taken by photographer Doreen Spooner on October 31, 1964.

Rare Photos of The Beatles Throw a Fancy Dress Party to Celebrate the Release of ‘Magical Mystery Tour’

As The Beatles typically celebrated Christmas with a party, in 1967, John Lennon suggested that they have a costume ball for the launch of their Magical Mystery Tour movie, scheduled to be shown on BBC television on December 26, and invite friends, family, and the film crew. The invitation read “Magical Mystery Tour Fancy Dress Party.” In other words, it was a costume party which was held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on December 21, 1967.

All The Beatles and their partners attended the costume ball. John was an Elvis-style rocker while Cynthia Lennon dressed as a Victorian lady. Paul and Jane Asher wore matching King and Queen outfits. Ringo was a Regency gentleman and Maureen Starkey an Indian maiden. George came as an Errol Flynn-style swashbuckler while Pattie Harrison was in an Eastern Princess costume later described by Cynthia as “incredibly sexy in an eastern dancer’s seven-veils-and-not-much-else outfit.”

At the party, the nineteen year-old singer Lulu, who was riding high on the success of her movie and single To Sir With Love, came dressed as Shirley Temple in a blond wig and carrying a large lollipop. Seeing a drunken John Lennon ignoring his wife and concentrating his attention on the sexily-dressed Pattie Harrison, Lulu went over to John and scolded him in a loud voice, waving her lollipop in the air at him. The normally-macho Lennon sat quietly and contritely with his head bowed, taking the criticism. Cynthia later wrote about the incident: “It was such a lovely sight, Lulu cornering John and giving him what for. John was much taken aback by Shirley Temple’s serious lecture on how to treat his wife.”

No photographs survive documenting this surreal incident, but there are a few scattered photos from the Magical Mystery Tour party itself. The most famous one is of John, holding a glass of wine, along with Paul and Ringo and their mates. Oddly, three of the night’s four main characters are not featured in the picture. George, Patti, and Cynthia are nowhere to be seen. One can surmise George and Patti may have left the party early. Or maybe they just stayed away from John for the remainder of the night. Ditto for John’s poor wife Cynthia.

Speed Bike Has Natural Airlines, 1936

Natural streamlining is accomplished in a new type of bicycle designed in England for use on the speedways, 1936. Aware of the discomfort suffered by racers who must remain humped up over their machines for long periods to reduce air resistance, the designer has placed the drive pedals behind the rear wheel. The handlebars are lowered almost to the level of the front axle.

This is the new streamlined bicycle designed in England, 1936. The rider practically lays down on his machine to reach the pedals set behind the rear wheel. Note the close-set wheels.

In this posture the rider is almost horizontal to the ground and in a naturally streamlined position. It is believed the new machine will produce speeds far in excess of anything yet accomplished.

London During the Blitz Through Amazing Color Photos

Born 1912 in Evanston, Illinois, American photographer William Vandivert work for the Chicago Herald Examiner from 1935. He joined the Life magazine team in London in 1938 and was one of the few photographers who were working in color photography before the Second World War. Vandivert made color photo report in Paris in the summer of 1939. He was using Kodachrome. The following year he photographed in color the Blitz in London.

In 1945, just after the Battle of Berlin, Vandivert was the first Western photojournalist to photograph the city’s ruins and Adolf Hitler’s bunker, which were published by Life in July 1945. He left Life’s editorial team in 1946.

Along with Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, David Seymour, George Rodger and Maria Eisner, he helped found Magnum Photos in 1947. His wife, Rita Vandivert, presided over the cooperative and managed the New York office at its opening.

Vandivert and his wife left Magnum Photos in 1948. He continued his career as a freelance photographer, publishing numerous reports in Fortune magazine and then devoted himself with his wife to documentary photography on nature and animals. They published several books together between 1960 and 1982.

Vandivert died in 1989 at the age of 77.

These amazing color photos are part of his work that William Vandivert took street scenes of London during the Blitz.

A bus is laying inside a huge bomb crater in a London street after heavy German air raid bombing attacks during the Battle of Britain, October 15, 1940

A man sits on a park bench in London, 1940

A view of London after a German air raid, 1940

A view of London with damage from German bombing raids, 1940

Battle of Britain, 1940

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Odd Bicycle Made From Bed, 1938

An English comedian entertained crowds at a cycling meet by riding the odd bicycle in 1938. The frame of the curious wheel was made from the head of an old iron bed, to which old bicycle parts were added.

Beautiful Color Photos of Life in London From Early to Mid Seventies

These nostalgic pictures were from Flickr user Blackthorne57’s collection. They reveal what the capital city looked like in this bygone era, which was known for feminism, high inflation levels, IRA bomb threats and widespread trade union strikes.

More fascinating photographs could be found at Blackthorne57’s brilliant Flickr site.

Flyposting, Tottenham, 1970

Flyposting, North London, 1970

Billingsgate Fish Market, 1971

Covent Garden fruit and vegetable market, 1971

Kings Cross Station, 1971

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Eleven Blind Men Ride One Big Cycle, 1931

An odd-looking cycle that seemed to have some of the qualities of a railway train was seen on the roads near Upper Norwood, England, the other day. Its twelve riders pedaled along, seated in flexibly connected units of the “multicycle.”

This centipede among vehicles is twenty-eight feet long, but its flexible connections enable it to turn corners easily. It was built in 1931 for use by students at the Royal Normal College for the Blind. An attendant with normal vision steers it.

On this elongated cycle, built for the students of the Royal Normal College for the Blind, Upper Norwood, England, eleven of the sightless victims can ride guided by one rider who can see.

Romantic Photos of John Lennon and Yoko Ono at Home at Tittenhurst Park, Ascot, 1970

These photographs of John Lennon and Yoko Ono were taken at Tittenhurst Park in Ascot, Berkshire by Richard DiLello on January 31, 1970. John and Yoko had recently returned from a trip to Sweden where they had cut off their hair as a symbolic gesture of a new phase in their lives. And collectively they had a lot of hair. There was an immediate request from the media to get pictures of the Lennons sporting their new art school, boho look.

DiLello was working in the Apple Press Office with Derek Taylor. Sometime in 1968  traded a Vox amplifier for a friend’s Nikon F with a 50 millimeter lens and taught himself how to use it, after a fashion.

“I had a natural eye but I didn’t have a great deal of technical knowledge under my belt. Nonetheless, as the requests for a photo session with the Lennons continued to come in, I asked Derek Taylor, “Do you think John & Yoko would let me photograph them?”

“He thought about it for two seconds. Then he rummaged around on his desk, held up a press clipping and said, “Go downstairs and give them (John & Yoko) this. As you’re on the way out, with your hand on the doorknob, turn around and ask them ‘Can I photograph you?’”

He followed the script. And they said, “Yes.”

A few days later one of the Apple chauffeurs drove Richard DiLello down to Tittenhurst Park on a frigid, grey day and he started snapping away.

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Rain Goggles for Race Drivers From the 1930s

Invented by Mr L. A. C Davoran in the 1930s, the goggles are equipped with wipers powered by an external fan. In an open car, the fan would start moving at about 15 miles per hour, putting the tiny wipers in motion and clearing the water from the lenses.

Racing driver Paddy Naismith wearing ‘rain goggles’, ca. 1933. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Black and White Photos of London From the Late 1970s

These photographs were taken by Australian amateur photographer John Goodman. He made two trips to the United Kingdom in the mid-seventies. During his “raw early 20s”, Goodman pursued his interests in microscopy, photography and industrial archaeology. He was a member of the Quekett Microscopical Club in London. Goodman now resides in Melbourne, Australia.

He mostly used Leica and film, or digital cameras with old Leitz lenses. Take a look through these beautiful pictures of London in the late 1970s taken by Goodman. For more photographs, visit Goodman’s wonderful Flickr site.

St. Pancras, from Pentonville Road, 1976

St. Pancras, 1976

Great Western Road, 1976

Snowfall, Colville Mews, Notting Hill, Winter 1976/77

Paddington Station, 1976

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