Billie Manders in drag; vignette portrait. Photographic postcard, 1929.

item

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

We’re undertaking some research with website visitors to learn more about how people find access-related information provided by museums. This survey shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time!

Help us organize our website content.

<p>A close-up portrait of Billie Manders, late 1920s. The hair and make-up show Hollywood influence, with heavily plucked brows, false eye-lashes and precisely outlined lips. Manders was a popular Rhyl-based female impersonator: he and his troupe 'The Quaintesques' were concert party entertainers from the early 1920's right up to World War II. Billie was a performer from a very early age and a a pioneer of 'glamour drag', presenting a less exaggerated female appearance.</p>

Billie Manders in drag; vignette portrait. Photographic postcard, 1929.

Licence and re-use