Granger 42
- This article is a Biography
- Chapter 42 - More publicity
Having seen how delightful Ethel's nostrils looked when jewelled because they added sparkle to her face, and also after the news that Annette Gay had taken to wearing one, I decided long ago, that it might be a good thing to keep the pot stirring as much as possible. It had been mentioned in the new London Life December issues of 1953 and 1954, and I thought it was time it should be raised again. So I wrote a letter to them which was published in the issue of March 1955, under the title of "Little on the Subject of' Pierced Noses", by Old Reader of Peterborough. "In your last issue I see the subject of nose jewels is raised as it were something new. Miss Gays excellent photo was published in many papers about l3 months ago, and a film was made by Pathe, showing the actual piercing of her nostril and the insertion of a diamond stud. This was done by Mr Cyril Wilkinson. I understand that his daughter is similarly adorned. The photo you print certainly shows that these ornaments can add to the attractions of European and well as Indian women, and I hope it becomes more widely adopted." (N.B. I did not know then that Annette Gay was his daughter.)
In the Xmas issue of the same year, there was a picture of Ethel, showing her back view, with her 14 inch waist L encircled by a grey leather belt, and the following letter: Mr G of Bournemouth writes as follows: "We often read about your readers proud boasts concerning their tiny waists, high heels and ornaments, but in practically no case was photographic evidence brought forward to substantiate the story. After the recent period in which a small waist was required to be in fashion, and with earrings and high heels again to the fore, I am surprised find so little news about these things in London Life, and no photographs either from your readers, possibly because they are not so common as we would like them to be. To remove any cynical doubts in your mind I enclose three photographs taken of my wife, showing her tiny waist and ear adornments. She claims, and not without good evidence, to possess the smallest waist in England - 14 inches and can even take an inch off that. Does it affect her health? She eats very well, works hard, and drives a motor cycle and will let you guess her age."
Another letter was published in March 1956. "WITH A BACKGROUND OF STONEHENGE" as follows:- Mr G of Bournemouth sends us a snap of his wife on her bicycle and tells us that the lady has a 14 inch waist, capable of being laced in to 13 inches, although her hip measurement is 40in." with the quote from the answer:- "The snap you sent is not one that pictorially bears out your claims, but we are interested in the background of Stonehenge. Did you and your wife cycle all the way from Peterborough? While on the subject of small waists, we acknowledge letters from "Hypnotherapist," Geo. H. Gay and A. Williams on the same subject. We met Gay later and I think also the first one.
On November 1956, a most interesting letter appeared, under the title, "WHO WAS SHE?" A regular reader of London Life sends us this letter about a beautiful and unusually adorned unknown. Miss Dora Knight writes to us as follows: - "I was dining out one evening in a small restaurant in Wardour Street last fall, when a lady and gentleman entered. My eye was caught by her extremely unusual style of earrings. They seemed to entirely cover her ears and finished with a pair of heavy pendants swinging from the lobes. She also appeared to be wearing a diamond stud in one nostril, of which she seemed quite oblivious. The lady appeared to be quite well known, for they chatted with the proprietress and all appeared to be unaware of anything out of the ordinary. Neither of us would believe that the nose stud was pierced in place, nor could we fathom how the ear ­ rings ware fastened. However, before leaving I visited the ladies I cloakroom where I was lucky enough to find this same lady. I complimented her upon her beautiful and unusual earrings and asked her how they were fixed on. She told me they were all separate piercings and I saw that it was so, for the little butterfly nuts showed at the back. I could now see that her ears were pierced all round from the top down to the lobes; and, in addition there was one in the piece of flesh in front of the ear and one in the inner shell of each ear. She told me that she had had them done gradually over many years. When she saw me looking at her nose she calmly said; "Oh yes, that pops in and out like all the others", and she gave it a little push so that I could see it was on a rod or wire right through the nostril. As she turned I then noticed that the other side was also pierced and fitted with an almost invisible pink stud. I asked her if it had been painful to have her nostrils done and said I had never seen it before. She replied that it was no worse than the ears and one could easily get used to it. I must say I rather liked the effect when I had got used to it and told her so. Whether she was from across the Channel I could not say, but I could not help noticing that her figure was truly unbelievable, but I will not bore you longer except to say that these things do really exist."
I have already said that we visited a little cafe in Wardour Street, and I remember that at the Xmas meeting we had gone down there, Ethel had put in her nose stud, I think it was a clover leaf stud, as we walked down and in, to got into conversation, as we usually did with the lady who ran the place. She had got used to Ethel's adornments by that time. While we sat there a lady and gentleman came in and sat at the next table, where they could see Ethel clearly. I noticed that they were intrigued by her. Later, when Ethel went up to the toilet to put in her other nose stud, she told me that the lady questioned her about the earrings and also the nose stud, and Ethel used those exact words, "It pops in and out like the first." So it was Ethel they meant.
We never found out who Dora Knight was, nor did she write again. The editor asked the unknown lady to send in photos, but we did not then, although from a later photo they got from Wilkinson, they could have guessed. In May 1957 there was another letter from me as follows: - Writing from Peterborough Mr. W.A.G. says "I challenge your statement in this months London Life that the smallest waist measurement is held by a Pole at 15in. My wife has for many years kept her waist at 14 in, (and just before the war it was 13 inches) and she never laces her corsets but, puts them on at that size. Her weight is about 9 stones, Hips 39in, bust 36in, and age 51. Moreover I have sent you photos to prove this and where in the proof of Miss Czerzak, and what are her other measurements to correspond, for these affect the case. She might be a dwarf or a thin lady at the Circus."
June London Life 1958. CYRIL WILKINSON ENTERS THE FRAY. Writing from Grosvenor St. Mr Cyril Wilkinson, the ear piercing specialist, has this to say in reply to the letter by Diana R on the subject of nose piercings: - "It has been brought to my notice, (by me,) by a reader of yours up North, that a correspondent Diana R of Manchester, had her nose pierced, with the result she lost her job and her boy friend. Also she had to go to a plastic surgeon to have the effects concealed. It seemed a very good 'tall story' to me. In particular the plastic surgeon. That could have been a joke or just nonsense. Anyway it made good reading and the opportunity to write to you on the subject. The piercing of the nose in not unknown in this country and I have had many wanting it done. The most famous is the well -known and celebrated international cabaret and variety artist - Miss Annette Gay. I pierced her nose two or more years ago and she has never been without the diamond nose stud over since. A few weeks ago she was the star turn at Collins Music Hall, London. She called on me as the diamond had become loose in its setting and wanted it made secure quickly. She told at it was a wonderful asset to her career and she always wore it at all times. I have photographs of women wearing nose studs, rings and other ornaments and also addresses it you are Interested." They said they would be pleased to see any photographs.
So in August 1958 there were two photos of Annette and one of Ethel, showing off her earrings and her nose stud, with this comment: Letter from Mr C. Wilkinson. "Dear Sir, I was most interested to read your latter published in the June issue, and I hope you will provide the photographs for which they ask. I have never seen Miss Annette Gay. I would be grateful, therefore, if you could tell me where she is performing, as I understand she has left the Collins Music Hall. Yours faithfully A.G de C.
- THE NOSE STUD AND MISS ANNETTE GAY.
- "In reply to your open letter in the June issue of London Life I have enclosed herewith two photographs of Miss Annette Gay with the diamond nose stud. Also a photograph of a house wife, (Ethel) who has three ornaments in her nose (a diamond stud each side and a ring in the septum) and thirteen diamonds in each ear. Her husband did the piercings, I have permission to use the photograph but she wishes to remain anonymous. She is English. Annette Gay is a well known variety artist and international cabaret star. She also is English." Cyril Wilkinson. Specialist ear -piercing 62 Grosvenor Street, W.1.
The pictures of Miss Gay say: - "When Annette Gay obliges our readers, she does it whole heartedly. Here you see her in long black gloves, high heeled peep -toe shoes and the famous diamond nose stud, beautiful Annette Gay had her nose pierced for a diamond stud by Cyril R Wilkinson, the ear -piercing specialist.
The picture of Ethel shows all her earrings, but as it is somewhat side face, it only shows one nose stud, and there in no sign of the nose ring as implied, but he did have some and could have sent one it he had wished.
As London Life began to deteriorate from then on I ceased to take it. Here I have run on ahead at the story for a year, as I wished to close this episode. Meanwhile remember, we were busy negotiating with Barclays Corsets, and Ethel had become a fully fledged corsetière, and we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first new pair from then, a pair of thirteen inch ones in black satin nylon.
However I had previously been considering making a jewelled plastic plug to fit tightly into her septum, and to screw a jewelled head into it, so that it would be jewelled on both ends, and cementing the two together so they would be there for ever. But if so, I would never be able to put a ring through again, so it was never done that way. Later we did put a permanent fitting in, but that came later. I had even had ideas of doing the same to my own septum, but did not. Then we went up to the B.A.A. meting in May, to show off some of my comet photos, and afterwards we walked down Piccadilly into Shaftesbury Avenue. She took out her pink nose stud and I gave her a big stud with 6 aurora brilliants and she put it in without comment. It was broad daylight as we went in and it showed very well. The proprietress greeted us like old friends and was pleased to see us. We gave her a picture of Ethel and the Observatory and told her we had been on T.V. She stuck it up in the paybox. Also we showed her the letter from D Knight, about the meeting there. She put the second stud in place in the cinema and as I stood at the top of the stairs I could see them both shining in her nose from a good distance. We walked along Oxford Street to the end before she took them out and people must have seen them for they shone so much.
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