This is an undated convention photo. It appears to be a UK convention, late 1930s or early 1940s. Can you identify it further?
THE STORY IS IN THE DETAILS - Notice: I've withdrawn my books from Amazon. They are now only available at Lulu.com
Please visit our newest posts. We'd love to see your feedback. Copyright Secured. Contact blog owner for permission to use anything you find here.
Search This Blog
Falcon's Crown: Kidnapped [e-book edition]
![Falcon's Crown: Kidnapped [e-book edition]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkBe00FOeBBmYbVCCTcdazS0iVnLd1WDFAqgsN2RZ54_2mWSQGowpbpnwmDREb-FVVk6AGpaGBEGezxxmeNm1qq65js_RZsBYwu6E6-3ucp3_YQyONvEK3NuIInA3Ru_cqrfm_JizezcrwPiewPQwunSXPJG1OI38N9mQwxOeGd4SvcPUf-DtO7FLMVcg=s238)
Buy it at Lulu.com
Falcon's Crown: Kidnapped [Print Edition'
Buy it at Lulu.ccm
Separate Identity Vol. 2
Buy at lulu.com
The video
Buy on lulu.com
Click on the picture
Buy on lulu.com
Click on the picture
11 comments:
I don’t know if this post is the appropriate place to do this but I want to apologize if that is the case. However I have recently become aware of this blog and Jerome’s similar blog in the past month or so. In that time I have been devouring years worth of posts and have purchased the Nelson Barber book and separate identity vol 1 book. What a treasure trove that exists here with so much to explore. I have been reading so much my wife needs to remind me to get sufficient rest because i easily lose track of time. Thank you for the many years of hard work that has been put in by B.W. Schultz and rachel and the additional individuals that have contributed such as Jerome, Roberto and many others. I look forward to finishing separate identity vol 1 and acquiring vol 2 and vol 3 when it is finished.
Thank you for the kind words. Much appreciated.
The picture comes from Getty images and is part of the Corbis Historical collection. It is dated to January 1935. Given that it looks like a UK convention, I'm assuming the picture was taken in 1934. Checking the July 15, 1934, Watchtower, p. 210, there was a convention at Alexandra Palace, London, Aug. 31 - Sep. 3. The details in the photo corroborate that conclusion: tennis courts close by to use for cycle parking, a tram service there (which ran until 1938), and the 'Sound Car' sign (sound cars came in c.1933).
Source: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/members-gathered-outside-the-marquee-at-a-meeting-of-news-photo/646286202?adppopup=true
The photo is from the Corbis Historical Collection on Getty Images. Search terms: "Jehovah's Witnesses, 1935".
It is dated to 1 January 1935. Given that it looks like it was taken at a UK convention, I'm assuming it was from the summer before, 1934.
Checking the July 15, 1934, Watchtower, p. 210, there was a convention at Alexandra Palace, London. The photo corroborates such a conclusion. Alexandra Palace had tennis courts (used here for cycle parking), a direct tram service (discontinued in 1938), and the sign about 'Sound Car Assignment' also fits the era.
That seems to be correct. Thanks for your help.
Having looked into this further, I'm pretty sure I was wrong about the London location and 1934 date.
There is another photo archive credited to Time Life and photographer David E Scherman. There are a couple of photos that look to be from the same event as your photo.
https://images.google.com/hosted/life/7db203d26b6b6a0a.html
https://images.google.com/hosted/life/e878f7d22755cdeb.html
These are dated to September 1941.
From September 3-7, 1941, JWs had a convention at De Montfort Hall, Leicester. The convention was mentioned in a few WT life stories as being memorable with about 12,000 in attendance despite the country being in the middle of a war.
Google maps also shows nearby tennis courts still there today, and the archive even has a photo of cycles all piled up against (presumably) tennis court fencing with some tents seen in the background.
https://images.google.com/hosted/life/9ee16ea6830d07af.html
https://images.google.com/hosted/life/8e3182fafc975a1f.html
Leicester had a tram service back then, too. It discontinued in 1949.
Just a thought, Even though the Jehovah's Witnesses were not banned outright in Britain as in Australia, New Zealand and Germany, there was considerable pressure brought to bear upon the Organisation and the work. Would they have used sound cars in 1941? If not, the photograph question is still open due to the signage in the photo.
I am particularly impressed by the research posted by the distinguished correspondent RJ on this site and the perfect identification he has come up with.
The photographic archive of Life where one can find the entirety of the reportage devoted to this assembly of September 1941 is also worth a visit (I spotted a photo of a poster where the portrait of J. Rutherford was styled with mustaches and a lock that would become infamous, but also no less than 4 V of Victory in the wake of a BBC’s invitation in spring 1941, which unfortunately testifies to the warmongering climate of the time:
https://images.google.com/hosted/life/389f55cdf45d7032.html
).
I would just like to point out two references to articles published by the JW about this convention :
– Modern History of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Part 18 – Second World War’s Christian Neutrals in British Commonwealth, _The Watchtower_, September 15, 1955, pages 555-6.
– Leicester Theocratic Convention, _1942 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses_, pages 90-2.
Stéphane
Yes, they still used sound cars. The British report in the 1942 Yearbook (thank you, Stéphane, for the reference) on p. 87 includes the number of "Sound-cars in use" for 1940 and 1941.
Many thanks RJ and Stephane for the answers. I appreciate the clarification and the link to Life magazine is worth the visit.
Post a Comment