MPX5122230: Rehearsals are going on for the transmission on April 6th of the ballet "Les Sylphides", with Nadia Nerina and Philip Chatfield. Also there will be soloists Julia Farron and Rowena Jackson. The rehearsals are taking place at Hammersmith Old Town Hall. The ensemble has been hand-picked by the B.B.C. ballet producer Margaret Dale and comprises members of ballet companies and ballet schools, Julia Farron (1922-2019) showing off some steps to ensemble, April 1958 (b/w photo) / Bridgeman Images
MPX5122644: The city of Coventry shrouded in a cloak of smoke and drizzle as people wandered around in a daze taking in the destruction around them following the air raid of the 14th November 1940. During the raid 4,330 homes were destroyed also three-quarters of the city's factories were damaged along with the city's tram system, with tram lines ripped from the ground or arched into the air. Out of a fleet of 181 buses only 73 remained. Most of the city's gas and water pipes were smashed and people were advised to boil emergency supplies of water. Amongst the devastation lay the bodies of 554 men, women and children many of whom were never identified also 865 people were injured. During the raid the Luftwaffe had dropped 30,000 incendiary bombs, 500 tons of high explosive, 50 landmines and 20 oil-mines. The raid had gone on non-stop for almost eleven hours. The world had never previously witnessed this sort of airborne destruction before and the Germans coined a new word for it 'coventrated'.' 15th November 1940 (b/w photo) / Bridgeman Images