Babs Collection

Recruiting on the beach at Southsea, WW1
A call to arms. A very persuasive pair of recruiting sergeants, Beattie and Babs, on the beach at Southsea. The pair later appeared on stage at the Southend Hippodrome to continue their campaign

CM35 1140 Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, BABS
Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, BABS, 30 years of the Festival of Speed, a selection of some of the finest cars and bikes from all motoring categories that have taken to the hill climb course over

CM35 1139art Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, BABS
Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, BABS, 30 years of the Festival of Speed, a selection of some of the finest cars and bikes from all motoring categories that have taken to the hill climb course over

CM34 9562 Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, Babs
Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, Babs, 30 years of the Festival of Speed, a selection of some of the finest cars and bikes that have taken to the hill climb course over the past 30 years

The British variety sister team of Beatie and Babs, 1920s Date: 1920s

Babs the tiger cub at the London Hippodrome
Babs, a male tiger cub bred by Herr Richard Sawade, who was exhibiting his troupe of performing wild animals at the London Hippodrome

Queen Alexandra with tiger cub at the London Hippodrome
Queen Alexandra, during a visit to the London Hippodrome on 22 November 1905 with her brother, King George I of Greece, and Prince and Princess Nicholas of Greece

The Company of the Co-optimists, October 1921
Nine of the ten Co-Optimists, a variety revue in London. From left to right (top row) Phyllis Monkman, Laddie Cliff, Elsa Macfarlane, Stanley Holloway; (second row) Betty Chester

The Thumb print frock by Peter Russell
Miss Eileen ( Babs ) Lamb, posed in a dress decorated with thumb prints designed by Peter Russell. Date: 1933

Parry Thomas, racing driver, inspecting 400 hp engine
Parry Thomas, motor racing driver, inspecting the 400 hp engine on Babs, the car which he designed, gaining a world land speed record of 170.6 mph. circa 1920s

Parry Thomas, motor racing driver, at the wheel of Babs, half an hour before his fatal accident attempting another world speed record at Pendine, Carmarthenshire on 3 March 1928. 1928

Bruce Forsyth with The Beverly Sisters. Picture taken at The Talk of the Town, London, where Bruce was having his opening night

The Worthing Pier Pavilion. Performing were the Co-Optimists, a variety revue from London starring: Laddie Cliff, Elsa Macfarlane, Stanley Holloway, Davy Burnaby, Melville Gideon, Babs Valerie

BABS with Parry Thomas, having wheel changed at Pendine sands 1926. Creator: Unknown
BABS with Parry Thomas, having wheel changed at Pendine sands 1926

CM8 8812 Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, Babs
Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, Babs, Goodwood FoS 2015, 2015, Classic, classic cars, entertainment, fearless, Festival of Speed, Flat out, FoS, Goodwood, Goodwood FoS 2015, Goodwood MMS 2015

Lord Babs by Keble Howard
Promotional postcard for Lord Babs by Keble Howard. First produced at the Kings Theatre, Southsea 29th June 1925 and Vaudeville Theatre, 26th January 1928. Artist: Albert Morrow

CJ6 9231 Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, BABS
Geraint Owen, Thomas Special, BABS, Goodwood Festival of Speed, 2017, Peaks of Performance, Motorsports Game Changers, automobiles, cars, entertainment, Festival of Speed, FoS, Goodwood, heritage

CM19 8141 Geraint Owen, Babs
Geraint Owen, Babs, Brooklands Double Twelve, Motorsport Festival, Vintage Sports Car Club, VSCC, 17th June 2017, 110th Anniversary, Chris McEvoy, cjm-photography, classic cars, historic cars

Kodiak Bear And Cubs
1979: Wilma, a female Kodiak bear with her three four-month-old cubs, Barnaby, Betsy and Babs, at Whipsnade Zoo. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

Kodiak Bear Family
10th May 1979: Wilma, a female Kodiak bear with her three four-month-old cubs, Barnaby, Betsy and Babs, at Whipsnade Zoo. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

Bear Family
10th May 1979: Wilma, a female Kodiak bear with her three four-month-old cubs, Barnaby, Betsy and Babs, at Whipsnade Zoo. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Babs: From Beaches to Pavilions, a Captivating Tale of Talent and Adventure" In the early 1900s, amidst the chaos of World War I, an extraordinary story unfolded on the sandy shores of Southsea. It was here that Babs, a remarkable individual with an eye for talent, embarked on a unique mission - recruiting new members for his team. With the sun-kissed beach as his backdrop, Babs tirelessly scoured the sands in search of potential recruits. His efforts were not in vain as he managed to enlist some exceptional individuals like Geraint Owen and Thomas Special into his fold. Together they formed a formidable force known simply as "BABS. " As time went by, Babs' influence expanded beyond recruitment drives on beaches. In the vibrant 1920s era, he became synonymous with entertainment alongside Beatie - forming Britain's beloved variety sister team. Their performances dazzled audiences across the nation and left an indelible mark on British entertainment history. But it wasn't just humans who found themselves under Babs' enchanting spell. A tiger cub named it also captured hearts at London Hippodrome during this time. Queen Alexandra herself couldn't resist its charm and was photographed alongside this adorable feline friend. Meanwhile, another facet of Babs' life emerged when he joined forces with The Company of Co-optimists in October 1921. This collaboration showcased their collective talents at Worthing Pier Pavilion where laughter echoed through every corner. Yet amidst all these captivating tales surrounding Babs' ventures into showbiz and recruitment endeavors lay one constant passion - speed racing. Parry Thomas, renowned motor racing driver himself, inspected engines and took charge behind the wheel of none other than "BABS. " Their partnership symbolized power combined with precision as they raced towards victory together. Through it all stood Peter Russell's iconic Thumb print frock - a testament to both fashion and individuality that Babs embodied.