Curious photos from Britain's past (21 photos)

I present to you a fresh selection of fascinating photographs from everyday life in 20th-century Britain. All photographs in the selection are colorized.





England, 1980s.



Photographer: Tish Murtagh

Unemployed march in Newcastle. England, 1931.





Two London trams advertising Ty-Phoo and Bisto tea, 1951.



Photographer: Bert Hardy

Three girls from Birmingham look for the perfect picnic spot just a short bus ride from the city center, near the Pearl Barr Canal. England, 1959.



Photographer: Peter Thwaites

From left to right: Ann Rowland and Mary Russell, 17, and 15-year-old Ann Hill.

A horse-drawn carriage passes the Blue Ball Inn in Countisbury, Lynmouth, Devon. England, 1904.



The inn is still open and welcoming guests. According to its official website, its history dates back to ancient times, when stagecoaches carrying weary travelers would stop here for the night.

Workers on stilts clear hops from electricity pylons. England, 1933.



Hops are one of the most tenacious and difficult to eradicate weeds: once they take root, they will grow back again and again, despite weeding, frost, or drought.

Construction of new council houses in London, 1959.



Photographer: Edward Miller

In 1959, London was actively rebuilding after the devastation of World War II—and a key element of this revival was the mass construction of council houses. New housing estates were erected throughout the city to provide affordable housing for thousands of families. The houses where the Londoners lived can be seen in the foreground.

Oliver Stillingfleet Locker-Lampson, MP, and Albert Einstein, 1933.



Photographer: Leslie Carde

Albert Einstein's outspoken opposition to the Nazi regime's anti-Semitic policies earned him the personal ire of Adolf Hitler. Seeking refuge, he came to England and temporarily settled in a summer camp on Wroughton Heath as a guest of Oliver Stillingfleet Locker-Lampson.

Model Jean Shrimpton arrives at London Airport. 1965.



"Hotel Bus." UK, circa 1919.



This donkey and cart were used to transport guests to the Atlantic Hotel on the Isles of Scilly.

Jordanian Fashion. UK, 1971.



Model Lorraine models a kaftan designed by Princess Dina of Jordan, the former wife of King Hussein and born Princess Dina bint Abdulhamid. The princess opened her own boutique in London's Belgravia district, selling clothing in traditional Arabic styles. All proceeds from sales went to support child refugees from Jordan.

Motorists allow a sheep to cross the road in Hyde Park. London, 1933.



Sheep in Hyde Park were used as eco-friendly lawn mowers, so this sight was quite common among city residents.

Actress Jayne Mansfield's photo shoot with swimmers in a pool. Blackpool, England, 1959.



Photographer: Bela Zola

The Royal Family. England, 1957.



Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, and Princess Anne on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

At a rehearsal for the Miss World pageant. London, 1963.



Photographer: Kent Gavin

From left to right: Miss Finland, Miss France, and Miss Germany.

The sailing ship Mercator, England, 1956.



An aerial view of the Belgian barquentine Mercator during the Torbay to Lisbon sailing race.

A soldier examines a puppy for sale at Club Row Market in London's East End, a street known for its dog and other animal sellers, 1946.



Photographer: George Konig

Club Row, a street in Bethnal Green, London's historic East End, was notorious as London's main "dog market" for much of the 20th century. Here, in cramped shop windows and small stores, puppies and adult dogs were sold for decades, often in unsanitary conditions and without proper care. The animals were imported from various countries, including Ireland and Eastern Europe, and displayed for sale as merchandise. The street became a symbol of the illegal and unethical animal trade. In the 1990s, the sale of dogs and other animals was banned; today, the area is a bustling antiques trade.

Animator Eddie Radage draws pigs on a farm in Hertfordshire, preparing for work on an animated film based on George Orwell's Animal Farm, to be produced by leading British animation house Halas and Batchelor, 1953.



Photographer: John Pratt

Postal workers empty letters and correspondence from a letterbox into a mail bag and then into the back of a Royal Mail van in Harrow, northwest London, in November 1959.



Royal Mail is the national postal service of the United Kingdom, with a history dating back to the 16th century. Founded in 1516 under King Henry VIII as the Royal Mail Courier Service, it eventually evolved into one of the country's oldest and most respected public institutions. In 1840, Royal Mail revolutionized global communications by introducing the world's first postage stamp, the famous "Penny Black," and a system of uniform postal rates, making letter mailing accessible to all segments of the population. For decades, Royal Mail was a symbol of reliability: red letter boxes, two-wheeled "mail bikes," vans bearing the crown emblem, and postmen in distinctive uniforms became an integral part of the British landscape.

Horse-drawn carriage. England, 1933.



This is a lightweight, two-wheeled carriage for one horse, with a driver's seat in front. The outer carriage typically accommodates up to four passengers, seated back to back, with the footboards extending above the wheels. This was a typical form of public transportation for residents of Ireland in the 1800s, but as we can see, it has spread throughout Great Britain. Today, you can still see these unusual carriages on the streets, carrying tourists.