In England between 1850 and 1914 you would have probably been the proud owner of a little china figure after a visit to the fair. They were given away as prizes at the fairground and were mostly small porcelain ornaments. The word fairing (‘fayring’ or ‘fairin’ in old English) is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘a present given at or brought from a fair’ and it comes from the Latin ‘féria’ meaning a holiday.
‘Norah, you are never going to be beautiful so you had better make yourself useful’. This, according to Gillian Trotter, was in Norah Wellings’ mind when she looked at herself in a mirror in 1919. With sheer determination, hard work and loads of talent Norah became one of the best soft toy makers in the world.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has ravaged the globe killing more than a 100 000 people and infecting over two million. We do not leave our homes without wearing a face mask and surgical gloves. During the Victorian era gloves and a hat were common accessories for men and women when they went outside but to ward off disease and the plague they often wore a nosegay or tussie-mussie.
Kim Kardashian has made news headlines once more. This time it was an image of her perfect hour glass figure that set social media alight. Rumours ran rife and it is even speculated that she had some ribs removed.
With Election Day around the corner (8 May 2019 will be the sixth democratic elections in South Africa) it is important that we are once again reminded of and celebrate our right to vote.
Throughout history most societies believed women to be inferior to men. Women were also thought to be less intelligent. Since ancient times the lives of most women centered around their children and homemaking. In most countries women had no or a very limited political voice.