Historic Photos

A site containing a mix of rare, unusual, bizarre, spectacular, glamorous and historic pictures ... and all with an unapologetically personal slant

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Donald Campbell heads out on Coniston in his boat Bluebird K7 in a bid to break his own water speed record, January 4th 1967. On his second run Bluebird executed an almost complete backflip before plunging into the water and killing Campbell (Michael Ward)

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The original - and frankjly terrifying - Ronald McDonald which was created in 1963 by actor Willard Scott, who is pictured here. He played the role from 1963 to 1967, appearing in three TV advertisements

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Elton John and Rod Stewart in the baths at Watford FC, November 7th 1973

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A stunning portrait of Jane Birkin taken in 1968 (Roger Viollet)

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@EmmJayed @KyleKulinski There's no seeing past the cult with you people is there

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George Barris took the last professional photographs of Marilyn Monroe, less than a month before her death in August 1962. The photos were shot on the beach in Santa Monica on July 13th

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The crew of the sinking Japanese carrier Zuikaku give a final salute as the naval ensign is lowered on October 25th 1944. 843 men died and another 862 were rescued. Zuikaku was the last of the six carriers involved in Pearl Harbor to be sunk

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This train run through the buffers at Paris' Gare Montparnasse, crossing the station concourse and plunging into the street, October 22nd 1895. There was only one fatality, a woman standing in the street below

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Adolf Hitler at the Bückeberg Harvest Festival on September 30th 1934. It was taken by Heinrich Hoffmann, his official photographer who made millions from the association. He served four years in prison for war profiteering

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Marilyn Monroe filming the famous scene from The Seven Year Itch on September 15th 1954. This picture was taken in Manhattan but the version used in the film was shot in Hollywood. Read more - https://t.co/VI5WtBliz8

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A German Heinkel HE 111 bomber flying above London's Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on September 7th 1940. The day saw a massive series of raids involving nearly 400 bombers and 600 fighters who targeted docks in the East End of London throughout the day and night

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Dorothy Counts, 15, being taunted by white students at Charlotte’s Harry Harding High School on September 4th 1957. The first black student admitted to the all-white school, she was spat at and abused by students and parents while most teachers did nothing to help her

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On the evening of August 25th 1944 Allied forces entered Paris after the surrender of the garrison. Adolf Hitler's order that the city "must not fall into the enemy's hand except lying in complete debris" was not carried out and the citizens took to the streets to celebrate

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The Three Jacksons perform a routine on top of the Empire State Building on August 21st 1934

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The players' wives - Tina Moore, Kathleen Peters, Judith Hurst, Barbara Springett and Francis Bonetti - at a post-match dinner after the 1966 World Cup final. They were not invited to the official banquet although wives of FIFA and FA officials were (Peter Trievnor)

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Sir Winston Churchill leaves home on his way to his final day as an MP in parliament on July 28th 1964. Almost 90 and in failing health, he stood down after 62 years in the House. A large crowd gathered in Parliament Square as his car left

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George Barris took the last professional photographs of Marilyn Monroe, less than a month before her death in August 1962. The photos were shot on the beach in Santa Monica on July 13th

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Glastonbury in 1971 saw the first appearance of the now famous pyramid stage, constructed out of scaffolding and expanded metal covered with plastic sheeting and built on a site above the Glastonbury-Stonehenge ley line (The Times)

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The five-day folk-orientated Glastonbury Festival in 1971 included performances by David Bowie, Fairport Convention and Hawkwind. Around 12,000 attended and the pyramid stage made its first appearance (The Times)

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On June 23rd 1940 Hitler made a day trip to Paris to look over a city just occupied by his army. The photograph of him posing with the Eiffel Tower in the distance is one of the most iconic - and chilling - of the war