Granger 35
- This article is a Biography
- Chapter 35 - Things move quickly
It was in 1953 that I bought a 32 cc Berini cycle motor for Ethel to match the one I had for myself. She passed her test, which enabled her to drive a motor cycle or even a three wheeler car. From this came a train of events leading to travels all over the country, from which came many adventures. As I have already written them up in full I will only refer to those events which actually concern this story. Also in 1954 there were letters from Wilkinson in Reveille and the news "".. about girls wanting rings put in their noses; also a. report that Annette Gaye was present at the Ghost Club, wearing her nose stud. A picture in Reveille showed tailored earrings all round the ears. So we had been ahead of fashion, or maybe we had inspired it.
However I wanted to do in something about Ethel's torn ear, and I wrote to Wilkinson to ask if he had any suggestion. He said, "Why not have a second piercing above the torn hole. When I said she already had that and more, he was surprised. I wrote to him about the nostril piercing and he said, "Unless you are glamorous, and are not pre ­pared to be stared at or followed, then his advice was, not to do so. When I told him she had already had both done, and had the smallest waist in the world, so was used to it again we surprised him, and he asked us to call on him sometime.
But other things were in train, for I had read an article about plastic surgery in a newspaper, from whence, on writing, I was told where to get the job done. I told the writer that I wanted to find out the name of the doctor she wrote about, saying that my wife had torn open the piercing in one of her lobes and she wanted it mending.
They wished her luck and gave the name and address as Dr Pellman in Spanish Place. So we booked an appointment with him and one day up in London, and called on him. He was a nice middle aged man and Ethel was wearing her high heels and well cut in costume, with a white leather laced belt to show off her tiny waist; her ears were fully decorated, but with pink plastic studs in her nostrils, for we had not tried them out in daylight.
When he walked in, after being briefed by his nurse about Ethel, he walked up to her and said, "Please take off your jacket. I want to see all of it. When he walked round her, felt her waist and ribs, then called back his assistant nurse saying, "Have you ever seen anything like this before?" Her eyes nearly popped out of her head with astonishment and she could hardly say anything. He pressed it in at the sides, asked if she could bend, which she did by nearly touching her toes. Could she eat or was she on a diet? Yes she could eat well and never dieted at all. Also that she worked in the garden, mixed cement, rode a cyclomotor and did anything she wanted.
He was greatly interested, saying she was a medical phenomenon and he would love to get an X-ray picture of her. He wanted to know if she had suffered any illnesses and was astonished when she said not since she began to tightlace, and she had a daughter. Then he looked at her ears, saying, "Amazing! Who did all this for you?" to which I replied that I had done them all, one by one, over many years. "And her nostrils, too I guess, for I can see you have them pierced, but what have you got in them?" I told him that they were plastic studs, in place. Ethel took them out and put the jewelled studs in place instead. "Very ingenious, to do them like that" he said. He looked at her torn ear and said, "What did you do to get it? It looks as if you had a large hole there before it tore away." We told him that she had had one in each ear, but only one had gone and showed him the good ear. "Have you any more piercings to show me?" he asked. When I said that she had both breast nipples pierced and was wearing thick rings through them, he asked to see them, and if we had had any trouble with them.
When he said that he had a man in recently who wanted him to put rings through his breast nipples, but he had never seen such adornment before, especially as large as those were, Ethel showed him that her nipples, while stretched, were quite healthy. After quite a long talk we left, but he said that he must think about the ear, and if and how it could be done and let us know. I think we should have gone on with him, but we did not do so, for we had found another suggestion later.
Things were now boiling up. We had been writing to Wilkinson about ears and later nostril piercings, so that one day, after a meeting, we called on him. He looked at all her piercings, and she was wearing both nostril studs too. He asked what I used, and saw how easily Ethel could put them in and remove them. He had never heard, or thought of using pink plastic. We saw his scrap book and the certificate he got from the B.B.C. ΓÇÿWhat's My Line' programme. I had put Ethel down for it, but she were never asked. He told us that Annette Gaye was actually his daughter, and I could see the likeness to her father. She had only one nostril done, although she had talked about the other one and a second piercing in the other ear.
We spent quite a long time with him and he asked if he could take some photos of her nostrils, ears and waist which he said was too wonderful to be true. He sent me copies of them later, and they went into his scrap book, where other people could see them. He told us that he had women come in to have their breast nipples pierced but so far he had refused, as he did not know what would happen. I told him Ethel had hers done and showed him the large 4 inch rings in place. He said, "You don't do things by halves do you?" He saw the large piercing in her septum too and also my ears as well. We spent quite a pleasant evening and called on him several times.
Now one thing leads to another, so that in the end our interest and correspondence started correspondence going abroad. A Mr Ellison, of Greenville USA had written to Wilkinson about piercing his wife's nostrils and other places. He must have referred him to us, for we had letters from him, saying that he had heard that Ethel had her nostrils pierced and also all round her ears, also her breasts. He said that she already had two piercings in each lobe, one above the other, so she could wear studs in the top holes and pendants in the lower ones, but she had always had a longing to have both her nostrils done, as well as her septum, and when she had heard that Ethel had her nipples and wanted that done also. As Wilkinson refused to consider the breast nipples, he wondered if I would do them for her and I could then do both nostrils and septum as well as some all round like her own. I told them that I would be only too pleased to do them, on their responsibility, if they would come over. In fact everything was arranged for them to visit us and for me to do them all one by one, while they spent a holiday here. But it never came off, for she was taken seriously ill, and within a very short time had died. He wrote to me for many years after, but never remarried, as he could never find another woman with the same desires. It was just rotten luck.
The last pair of corsets we had from Mrs Stafford was in 1956 and as I have said, were not successful. They might have gone back to be altered, but as it turned out, we never did so. For in that year we saw an advertisement in the paper, ΓÇÿCorsetières Wanted'. I suggested that Ethel might apply for the post, which would be only a part time job anyway, to do in her spare time. Anyway she knew quite a lot about corsets, and it might lead to finding somewhere to get her own made to measure. We wrote in about it and in a few days, a lady, Mrs Ash of March came to call on us. She was the local representative of Barclay's Corsets, an American firm, based in Welwyn Garden City. They would have to train her to become a corsetière, she would have to attend a number of classes, either here or in March. Also there would be a premium of £25 to cover the cost of the classes, books and garments for job. Had she any means of travel, such as a car. Ethel was then running an N.S.U. Quickly, and said so, which was satisfactory for the purpose. Quite often she had to take the 20 mile journey to March for instruction and often I would leave work and go there to meet her and bring her home again. By this time she was a proficient rider. If she joined as a Barclay corsetière, she would have to wear the garments, a pair would be provided and covered by the fee. I said that would be fine, providing they could make corsets to suit her, of the right size. I think Mrs. Ash nearly had a fit when she saw what had to be done. But we had paid our money and it was now up to them to fulfil their end of the contract.
And right nobly they coped with it. They found an old model from their range, which was similar to those Ethel wore, but they said that as it was such an extraordinary size and type, could we let them have an old corset to copy. So I suggested that we send them the old blue corsets with the 13 inch waist, Mrs Stafford had made, which had been so comfortable and successful. Also that we wanted them made that size, with the stiff plates in front, which I sent and a panel under the lacing at the back. They were to be made of black nylon satin, with a coutil lining, a waist tape, with 3 hook fasteners under the front busks, 3 suspenders, to be a satisfactory fit. They came in with the £25 and were in fact very successful, so that we ordered another pair exactly the same in peach which were even better and they cost only £5 which was a considerable saving.
So she became a qualified Barclay Corsetière and they were to make her corsets to order usually at about £5 each, trade price. She got commission on all her other orders. But the wearing of these corsets and what happened comes into the next part of the story, for exciting things were about to begin. You will see that all the things I have written about previously now begin to gather into one theme. For as I have said, I was now making a name for myself in the astronomical world, attending meetings of the B.A.A., when possible and using my telescope cameras, to get pictures of eclipses of the moon and sun, star fields, including papers which I wrote for the journal on things I had invented and made, like my observation box and observing seat, which went out all over the world. I had done several photos of comets, with long exposures. For these Ethel helped, for without a clock drive I had to telescope carefully guide the telescope with a worm drive through a handle with universal joints, for up to 40 minutes, while the object was kept on the cross wires. She would come down to turn the dome in phase with the telescope, which had to move with the rotation of the earth, and watch the time.
I had fact one, in fact two of the finest comets of the century, first the Ahrend Roland comet, of which I had taken some pictures at the end of 1956, when it was small, but when it returned from its perihelion it was naked eye brightness and large, so I got quite a lot, right from the beginning. Soon afterwards there came the Arkos comet, also naked eye, of which I was the first to get a photograph. I took my first photos of the Arend to a meeting, where Patrick Moore saw them. He had just begun his series, ΓÇÿThe Sky at Night', and when he saw my photos he said, "I must have them on my next programme. Can you come up with them?" and that really begins the next part of the book, for things really happened from then on. I think I was the first visitor ever to appear with him on his programme.
In Part Three I will attempt to keep events in chronological order beginning with the events that followed our travels. I must not leave it either without saying I tried unsuccessfully to get Ethel to pierce the tops of my ears to put pink plastic studs in. She drove the piercer in half way, but then hadn't the nerve to finish it. So drove it through myself under the upper rim at the top, but she did pull the stud in and fix the nut. Then I did the other one. From then on I had my ears pierced at the top. After some time I stretched them, until I had holes about 3/16 inch, which I found very painful and difficult through the gristle. I also did one nostril, fitting it with one of her old pink plastic studs. When that one became permanent I fitted it with a tiny push in plug. Then I did the other one, so that by 1957, when Part 3 starts, I had both nostrils pierced, my septum, with a very large hole, large holes in my lobes and also the tops of my ears.
Now some quotations from the papers etc. Reveille, July 53: "Girls who want to keep a jump ahead of fashion may soon be wearing nose rings. Mr C Wilkinson has had about two dozen requests from women who want him to pierce their noses and these girls want to wear a ring through the middle of the nose, like a bull, not through the side like Indian women. A girl of 25, secretary to 3 London doctors told him she wanted to set the fashion for nose rings. A young man thought it would be rather fun to have his fiancée's nose pierced. The News Chronicle 9 -7 -53 gave a similar report.
New Chronicle 30 -4 -53: Maureen Owen has her ears pierced by C.W. "It hurt!" News Chronicle Pat Taylor Oct 59. Article on having her ears pierced, It did not hurt.
Sunday Mirror 13 -8 -57: Picture of Faye Jennings, Victoria with a row of 4 pearls across her ears. Cutting from London Life. "When I was in India I was fascinated by the charm and dignity of the Indian women. Some wore rings in the centre of their pierced noses, or small jewels on the side of' the nose. Could some enterprising firm of jewellers popularise the nose jewel fashion for English women?" Mrs K.P., Hill View, Kennilworth. N Chronicle: Article about Pamela Nash, tattooed and pierced 10 times in each ear and in both nostrils. I had a letter from her later.
Several cuttings about Margaret Caitlin, a 14 year school girl, who was refused permission to wear her earrings in school. When the Italians came here we had plenty of' them in school wearing them and no one took any notice.
N. Chronicle: Picture of Maud Harleman, wearing a type of arrow across her ears. I found out that these were just clipped on, to give the appearance that the arrow went through. Diagram and note from Marie, about a French girl he saw, wearing two gold nails, pierced in through the nostrils. They came out below and were held in the crossed position over the lips because they also passed through a small gold ring through the septum.
Synday Graphic Nov 14 1954: Meeting of the reformed Ghost Club. "There was Mr C Wilkinson (the man who pierced the Queen's ears) and his pretty blonde daughter, she had had her nose pierced by her father and was wearing a diamond in it."
Daily Mail 1-3-63 on earrings for men: "As an earring wearer I am delighted some of Hull's young men are reviving the old custom of wearing them. Man wear cuff links, tie pins, bracelets and necklets. Why not earrings?" H. Pierce, Leeds. Another said that earrings prove courage, when a man wears them. From an old Express or Mail: "The cultivation of the waist. It really is amusing the number of society woman who are rushing to a famous corsetière, who is making a speciality of cultivating a small waist. Her greatest achievement is that she reduced a 21 inch waist to 14 inches in 18 months. The extract I have just quoted was headed Dearest Meg: "Town is not nearly as quiet as usual; the Embassy Club is crowded every night. Lady Joan was there yesterday the cynosure of all eyes wearing a modernised Elizabethan dress and I really don't think her waist could have measured more than 19 inches. You know Lady Wellesley's is only 19" and she was the best dressed woman on the Riviera." I saw a picture of Lady Wellesley many years later and nearly met her. She had a small waist then.
Extract from an old paper: "I too long for the return of the ΓÇÿwasp waist.' with its accompanying tight lacing. The tight lacers are the women who have real figures and whose dresses could not, like those of the ΓÇÿModern Miss' be worn by her brother. I would also like to see earrings more popular than they are. Why won't your readers pierce their ears and wear the most seductive of feminine ornaments?" J.F.R. Newcastle. Another quote: "Women, grown tired at the insecurity of clip and screw on earrings are reverting to the older practice of having their ears pierced. The painless operation only takes 30 seconds. Piercing is done with a thin, solid silver-gilt circle, which must be worn for a month. After that, the owner of the ears can indulge in her fancy for glamorous ornament. Cost of piercing, inclusive of silver -gilt rings has not increased from 15/6d in the last 30 years.
A WOMAN'S PAPER: "Question. I've been given a very pretty and rather valuable pair of earrings. I've lost so many cheap ones that I feel I must have my must have my ears pierced, but I am a coward about anything painful. Do you advise me to risk it? To whom should I go to have it done? Is it true that ear piercing improves the sight?" "No, it does not improve the sight. I do think though, that your new earrings will be much safer and sit far more prettily if you have your ears pierced. This will involve a little prick and practically no pain at all if you get you doctor to do it (?). The instruments he will use will he sterilised, and since the lobes of the ear contain practically no nerves, you are unlikely to feel more than a jab. A drop takes of ΓÇÿdeadener' takes care of the initial prick. You will need a pair of gold wire sleepers which any jeweller will sell you for insertion immediately after piercing. Wear them for 3 weeks without removing or turning them, and then wear either sleepers or earrings continuously for 3 months. Your earrings will look best if your lobes are pierced fairly high.
From SUNDAY MIRROR: "Mrs Sargeant found that among the primitive tribes (of Indonesia), the death of an important man, means that young girls have one or more of their fingers chopped off. The severed fingers are wrapped in leaves and left in trees as a peace offering to the dead man. Some elderly women have lost all their fingers."
STAR 19-2-49 Wasp Waist Challenger: "Wasp waists are swarming to the fore. Owners are young women out to prove that Mrs Doris Langley Moore was wrong in giving an impression in her now book that English women never had 17 or 18 inch waists. Now it seems that every other girl in England has a wasp waist. Latest letter to reach me comes from 17 year old office worker, Miss Rose Chivers, of Ivy Cottage, Risborough Green, Sussex. She is challenging Mrs June Bartlett of Stepney, whose photo I gave recently. It showed her 18 inch waist. "I have an 18 inch waist," says Mrs Chivers. With it go Jane Russell proportions - 34" bust, 34" hips and an ankle of 7½inches. She is 5 ft 4 ins. Mrs Bartlett is 5 ft . It is very unusual to have a difference of 16 inches between bust and waist. Miss Chivers says she does not wear a corset or belt - "If I did, I could get my waist down to 15 inches." N.B. I wrote to Mrs D L Moore about Ethel when she promised to eat her hat, but she never replied - No guts. They don't like to be proved liars.
Finally a quotation from a SUNDAY GRAPHIC November 1955, The Odd Spot: "Corset model, Pamela Shelvey (waist 22" let herself be laced into an 1879 corset (waist 14") for an interview on the B.B.C.'s ΓÇÿCountry Town' programme. One minute she was chatting with the interviewer F.R.Buckley - the next moment she fainted in his arms. This was supposed to have happened in R W Symmington's corset factory in Market Harborough. It was a complete fairy tale, for we visited the factory and the smallest corset they made was 18 inch waist. Also she wasn't Feeling well anyway, after a tooth extraction.
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