MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Tizer]

Creative answers! Ignore the car and concentrate on the woman. The two men are there to make sure nobody interferes with her - I'll re-phrase that, the two men are there to make sure nobody get in the way of her progress. That gives you a clue!

[PanBiker]

Ball rolling record?

[Stanley]

I can only surmise that Ian is right......

[Cathy]

Does the ball represent the world? The hat intrigues me. Is it a chauffeur 's hat?
You said not to worry about the car, but is the pic about women first getting their driving license 's? A protest maybe.

[Tizer]

Cathy, I don't think the ball is meant to represent the world but it was referred to in newspaper reports as a `globe'. I don't know where the hat came from but she was usually seen wearing it. Nothing to do with driving licences.

Panbiker is getting close...

[plaques]

Advertisement stunt sketch for Barnum and Bailey circus coming to town, showing British and American flags. Could be 1890 ish. Village Globethorpe . just made that up

[Stanley]

Sounds as good as anything so far P!

[Tizer]

Plaques is right about the British and American flags and there is a circus link but don't get too carried away with that. The 1890s is just a little early. The lady was American and she came to Britain to take up a challenge.

[Cathy]

It's got me stumped

OK, one last try... Is it a running race, eg the quickest to run 100 yards?

[chinatyke]

Was the challenge for someone to walk uphill without touching the ground, or something uniquely quirky and English?

[Tizer]

No Cathy, no China. Remember Panbiker mentioned `ball rolling' and I said it was referred to as a globe. The lady is a famous globe walker and is best known for the walk she did in Britain in 1903. Who was she and where did it take place?

[PanBiker]

I know, but I have cheated so won't mention anything.

[Big Kev]

I know, but I have cheated so won't mention anything.

I've just Googled it too

[Stanley]

I haven't cheated so I am still in the dark. Reminds me of Sysiphus......

[Tizer]

Thanks for keeping it to yourselves so Stanley got a chance to try. I don't think anyone will get the final answer without googling so here it is. I saw the graphic in the Picture Postcard magazine and thought it would be a good mystery object. I'd never heard of globe walking. I've looked on the web and found this page linked below and here is a bit from it:
`The lady depicted was Mademoiselle Florence who, in June 1903, walked her 2 foot diameter globe from London to Brighton over a period of 3 days and 22 hours. She was reputed to be the Champion Globe Walker of the World and appeared regularly at the Empire Theatre. Here she demonstrated feats such as descending a flight of steps and performing dance routines upon her globe. Globe walking was popularised as a music hall and variety act, particularly by a Madame Alphonsine about 20 years prior to this.'
LINK

[Cathy]

Thanks Tize, that was something completely different, I've never heard of it before.

[Stanley]

Never heard of it..... In a similar vein.....

[chinatyke]

1880 cross dresser?

[Bodger]

The answer is a breeze

[Stanley]

He knows what it is.......

[Tripps]

So do I. Remember there was no television in those days.

[PanBiker]

Adopt the position....

[Tizer]

How to recycle bin bags!

[chinatyke]

Remember there was no television in those days.

Or bin bags...

[chinatyke]

A real shirt lap lifter - it has blown liquorice allsorts from his rear.