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Guinea Day at the Festival Gardens, Festival of Britain
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Guinea Day at the Festival Gardens, Festival of Britain
A cartoon depicting Guinea Day at the Festival Gardens, Festival of Britain, with upper class people in their best clothes, taking part in some unlikely (for them) fairground activities. Date: April 1951
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Media ID 7195577
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10507975
Activities Aristocratic Best Champagne Fair Ground Festival Fortune Gipsy Guinea Gypsy Helter Incongruous Knock Paradox Skelter Smashing Teller Tent Upper
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EDITORS COMMENTS
Guinea Day at the Festival Gardens: A Humorous Take on Class and Popular Culture at the Festival of Britain, 1951 This delightful cartoon captures the incongruous scene of upper class Britons participating in fairground activities during Guinea Day at the Festival Gardens during the Festival of Britain in April 1951. Dressed in their finest clothes and holding champagne glasses, these aristocratic figures engage in the unlikeliest of pastimes - knocking down tin cans with mallets, attempting to win prizes at the fortune teller's tent, and even taking a ride on the helter-skelter. The paradoxical nature of this scene is a reflection of the social and cultural shifts taking place in post-war Britain. Guinea Day, named for the traditional fairground game where visitors paid a 'guinea' (one pound) for entry, was an annual event that brought together people from all walks of life. The upper classes, who were often seen as aloof and detached from popular culture, were encouraged to embrace the fun and frivolity of the fairground. This charming cartoon, with its comic portrayal of upper class people engaging in these unlikely activities, highlights the humor and lightheartedness of the day. The image of a gypsy fortune teller and the traditional fairground setting add to the sense of fun and inclusivity, as the barriers between class and culture were temporarily broken down. Despite the passage of time, this cartoon remains a fascinating snapshot of a moment in history when the upper classes and popular culture came together in a spirit of fun and camaraderie. The incongruous scene of champagne and china in the midst of fairground activities continues to intrigue and delight us, offering a glimpse into the paradoxical nature of British society in the early 1950s.
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