Week 35: the death of an English clown

100 years ago this week: Week 35

Looking back a century can sometimes take you even further into the past. The death of one of the best known clowns in France sparked nostalgia in journalists for the belle époque, a simpler time of joy, prosperity and family trips to the circus and the music hall. If France had grown more morose as the twentieth century progressed, so had Footit the (English) clown.  

Take your seats for a celebration of the life of a melancholic clown.

Week 34: Manfield-Hotspur - the first desirable sporting brand

100 years ago this week: Week 34

Sport was an amateur affair in France at the beginning of the 1920s, but those who participated still desired serious equipment. With more and more people taking part, players wanted to look the part and use the same gear as their semi-professional idols. On the football field, one Franco-British brand was starting to corner the market, with success stemming from groundbreaking advertising campaigns.  

Kick off a look into a brand that met its goals.

Week 33: a plague on Paris

100 years ago this week: Week 33

The 1920s was an era of modernism and progress, but in certain respects, Paris was still a medieval city. The archaic nature of the sanitary conditions in some districts - overlooked most of the time - only became an issue when infectious diseases broke out. Was the plague about to make a comeback in 1921? 

Scratch your itch here.

Week 32: a scene on a bus

100 years ago this week: Week 32

A rapid interaction on a bus observed by a journalist - recreated in words in the form of a scene from an imaginary film - tells us more about the invisible effects of World War One that were still hanging heavily in the air in 1921. Life had returned to normal, but nothing would ever be totally normal for those that had lived through the conflict.

Hop on the bus here.

Week 31: the Bateaux-Mouches are back!

100 years ago this week: Week 31

World War One didn't have many direct impacts on Paris, but the indirect effects were deep and long-lasting. Beyond the terrible human suffering and financial shock, many more unexpected parts of city life were interrupted. This was the case with Paris's passenger boats, which in the summer of 2021 were finally getting back on the water.

Take a trip down the Seine here.