This photograph shows a crowd of children watching a tightrope walker in Preston Park. This was part of a Children’s Day event to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
Star of the Show
We can see that an enormous crowd has gathered for the event, with the children dressed in their best clothes.
The tightrope walker is an impressive act, using a highwire and no apparent safety net.
This feat of daring isn’t enough to distract all of the children, as those nearest the camera are looking back at the photographer.
The photographer would probably have encouraged this as visible faces are more appealing than the backs of multiple heads. But it’s also a reminder that to be photographed outside of a portrait studio was still a rare event in the 1890s.
Author: Kevin Bacon, Digital Manager