Punch and Judy

Punch and Judy

According to my research the earliest recorded evidence of Punch in England is from the 17th century. In the Victorian and Edwardian periods Punch and Judy shows could be seen in all major cities across Britain.

After the introduction of bank holidays in 1871, day trips to the seaside became popular for the masses and Punch and Judy at the seaside became a lucrative business. In more recent years the decline of the traditional seaside holiday has seen a dramatic fall in the number of Punch and Judy shows at the seaside.

The shows are topical and a living social history which has been passed along by generations of performers and represent our culture and history, and for this reason I decided that they had to be included in my project.

Once again the illustration is machine stitched collage because... 'That's the way to do it!"