Friends' Gallery Picture of the Month - February 2024

[Mike Costigan]

A bit of controversy this month! The original print of this photo is captioned "Final Polishing" and is dated 27th May 1935.

Robin Oldfield rightly commented that there is not a single cowled radiator in sight, and suggests the date should be 1934. 

However, closer inspection would indicate that the car in the foreground is a 2-seater, and therefore could be one of the last chromed-radiator Opals from 1935; all the 'saloons' appear to have a square back to the roof and therefore are actually vans, which again would be correct for 1935.

So perhaps someone eagle-eyed can see any other detail that might confirm the date as 1935 rather than 1934?


  1935 Longbridge final polishing 27.05.1935.jpg (Size: 107.62 KB / Downloads: 510)

[Chris KC]

I must say it's refreshing to see proof that 1930's tyres did have a tread on them at some point in their life.

[Robin Boyce]

I think the ladies at the front with their matching frocks and high-heel shoes look a little out of place...

[Colin Morgan]

Well, the shoes being worn by the ladies in the foreground appear to be typical of the fashion in Spring 1934, but could be a year old, so that doesn't help?


  Shoes 1934.jpg (Size: 24.49 KB / Downloads: 398)

[Mike Costigan]

I doubt that workers at Longbridge were particularly up-to-date with high fashion.

[Ivor Hawkins]

Also nice to see that like mine, the starting handles are droopy!

[Chris KC]

Polishing cars is a fairly alien concept to me - but aren't you supposed to use polish? All I can see here is apparently dry cloths.

[Malcolm Parker]

I imagine that the workers would have been advised that a photographer would be taking shots the next day for publicity purposes.  In a working environment with a good proportion of female workers some will always dress up for the occasion and the photographer probably placed them in the foreground rather than the toothless old crone who started at Longbridge many years previously?
It is very strange to see a photograph of a car works with not a robot in sight!

[John Cornforth]

Hi

My Mum used to refer to that shoe style as "Lavatory Heels", I guess the shape was similar !

[Chris KC]

I imagine that the workers would have been advised that a photographer would be taking shots the next day for publicity purposes.  In a working environment with a good proportion of female workers some will always dress up for the occasion and the photographer probably placed them in the foreground rather than the toothless old crone who started at Longbridge many years previously?
It is very strange to see a photograph of a car works with not a robot in sight!

My guess is that the photographer dragged down the two prettiest lasses from reception or the typing pool to "polish" in the foreground of the picture. The ladies behind them look quite different.

Conversely, seeing that many people brandishing dusters is quite extraordinary by today's standards.