Easter Bonnets

It suddenly came to me. That last picture I posted- of my paternal grandmother and her siblings: it's not fancy dress they're wearing- it's not quite mad enough for that. No, this is Eastertide- and those are Easter bonnets and Easter frocks and my great grandmother has marched the kids down to the photographer's shop to have their pictures taken before anything got muddied or creased.  The little boy (he's called Harold btw) is also dressed for Spring in his natty suit and straw boater.

It used to be the thing, back in the 19th century, that you got a new set of clothes at Easter- and everyone went to church to show off - and over time that morphed into a tradition of parades with floats and flowers being chucked about and girls wearing silly hats. My great grandfather was a draper- and I suppose that would have given the family a head start in the devising of extravagant costumes...