What are they gawking at?

[dinosaw]

Just a bit of fun for anyone interested in guessing. What are they looking at?. Bonus points for correct year and location. You will either want to have a go at it, or this will result in forum tumbleweed. In any case I will reveal all in a couple of days. No cheating!.

 

[Shadrach]

Stuck between Allied fighter planes or German bombers.

 

[bigyetiman]

Definitely wartime, could it be a food drop ? Or Corporal Jones stuck on the clock tower with the German paratrooper :lol:

But good one Shadrach, annoyingly I have seen this pic in one of my many war books

 

[Marigold]

Stuck between Allied fighter planes or German bombers.

If it was German bombers, would they be standing around watching with their children, or would they be diving for the nearest shelter? Nobody seems at all bothered.
Some sort of victory fly past?

The clothes (boy’s all-over machine quilted jacket and woman’s duffle coat with toggles) and the style of the handbags (printed plastic shopping bag and imitation plastic leather?)look later than the 1940s to me.

I think I’ll go for fly past (Red Arrows if they were flying then, or RAF,? ) for the Coronation, 1953.

 

[Shadrach]

Stuck between Allied fighter planes or German bombers.

If it was German bombers, would they be standing around watching with their children, or would they be diving for the nearest shelter? Nobody seems at all bothered.
Some sort of victory fly past?

The clothes (boy’s all-over machine quilted jacket and woman’s duffle coat with toggles) and the style of the handbags (printed plastic shopping bag and imitation plastic leather?)look later than the 1940s to me.

Maybe not. It depends on whether they are on their way there or on their way back.
My father told stories of people watching the German planes.
Anyway, your probably right and it's a later date.

 

[Marigold]

I love the way the only person who is seriously interested is the boy who is pleased to have something worthwhile to use his binoculars on!
The little girl on the left is either hopping up and down bored out of her mind, or in desperate need of a wee, or both.
What about the graffiti? Is SKIN RULES a clue that puts it later still? 1960s at the earliest for skinheads.

 

[dianefairhall]

No idea what they are looking at but it's not wartime. I remember the crap clothing they are wearing but the children are well-dressed with shoes, socks and hats. The ladies on the right have coats and PVC bags from about 50s/60s. Not many of them seem very interested, especially the women, so I suppose it's a man thing.

 

[rick]

An eclipse? They seem to be looking into the sun - but with binoculars!?

 

[dianefairhall]

I'm going to stick my neck out and say it's Yuri Gagarin's orbit in Vostok 1, 12 April 1961. No idea if it was visible in UK (I was only 11) but you know how they say on the news- 'if you go out and look at around 8pm you might catch a glimpse'.

 

[LadyA]

No idea what they are looking at or where it is, but I'm going with 1960s.

 

[dinosaw]

Some interesting observations so far.

It could be that there are so many long faces because they have just learned that Tie A Yellow Ribbon is going to be at number 1 for a 4th week running. Or it could be because they are still having to don winter coats in May.

Is this a man thing?, I don't know. My wife would certainly find it fascinating and I know that my nan would have too, if only for the off chance of catching a glimpse of the VIP involved in the spectacle.

That's probably too many clues for you lot. All will be revealed this evening.

 

[Marigold]

That’s 1973, then - Tony Orlando https://youtu.be/Z8fhciUojQ0

May 14 USA launches Skylab.

 

[dinosaw]

Well funnily enough, the first time I saw this photo, it came with a caption which should have helped me in figuring out what was what. However that caption led me to think exactly the same as Diane and Marigold, it must be some kind of space launch, it was the name and the way that people were craning their necks upwards. However I was completely wrong and when I saw what they were looking at I just thought it was amazing, though I have a vested interest. So here it is in a short video, just press watch trailer, the best bit is on 41 seconds imo. Oh yes, nearly forgot, do you know who the VIP is?.
The name of the photo btw, is "Launch of the World Unicorn"!

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/launch1973

 

[dianefairhall]

Wow! Never heard of the World Unicorn. It's huge! No wonder they are craning their necks.

 

[Margaid]

Oh yes, nearly forgot, do you know who the VIP is?.
The name of the photo btw, is "Launch of the World Unicorn"!

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/launch1973

Princess Anne

 

[dinosaw]

Wow! Never heard of the World Unicorn. It's huge! No wonder they are craning their necks.

131,000 tonnes apparently, which is twice the weight of the Royal Navies aircraft carriers.

Oh yes, nearly forgot, do you know who the VIP is?.
The name of the photo btw, is "Launch of the World Unicorn"!

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/launch1973

Princess Anne

Correct, it was the 2nd oil tanker she had christened at Swan Hunters.

 

[Marigold]

This is a good game! Thank you dinosaw!
Anyone got another picture for us?

 

[Shadrach]

I wasn't even close! :lol:

 

[dinosaw]

Ok then, here is another quick one, easier this time. When, where, and what are they gawking at?.

 

[LadyA]

I'm going with Chicago or New York gangster, shot in the 1930s by the police, but I can't remember his name!