OneGuyFromBarlick

Creative answers! Ignore the car and concentrate on the woman. The two men are there to make sure nobody interferes with her - I'll re-phrase that, the two men are there to make sure nobody get in the way of her progress. That gives you a clue!

Ball rolling record?

I can only surmise that Ian is right......

Does the ball represent the world? The hat intrigues me. Is it a chauffeur 's hat?
You said not to worry about the car, but is the pic about women first getting their driving license 's? A protest maybe.

Cathy, I don't think the ball is meant to represent the world but it was referred to in newspaper reports as a `globe'. I don't know where the hat came from but she was usually seen wearing it. Nothing to do with driving licences.

Panbiker is getting close...

Advertisement stunt sketch for Barnum and Bailey circus coming to town, showing British and American flags. Could be 1890 ish. Village Globethorpe . just made that up

Sounds as good as anything so far P!

Plaques is right about the British and American flags and there is a circus link but don't get too carried away with that. The 1890s is just a little early. The lady was American and she came to Britain to take up a challenge.

It's got me stumped

OK, one last try... Is it a running race, eg the quickest to run 100 yards?

Was the challenge for someone to walk uphill without touching the ground, or something uniquely quirky and English?

No Cathy, no China. Remember Panbiker mentioned `ball rolling' and I said it was referred to as a globe. The lady is a famous globe walker and is best known for the walk she did in Britain in 1903. Who was she and where did it take place?

I know, but I have cheated so won't mention anything.

PanBiker wrote: ↑26 Jan 2019, 16:57 I know, but I have cheated so won't mention anything.

I've just Googled it too

I haven't cheated so I am still in the dark. Reminds me of Sysiphus......

Thanks for keeping it to yourselves so Stanley got a chance to try. I don't think anyone will get the final answer without googling so here it is. I saw the graphic in the Picture Postcard magazine and thought it would be a good mystery object. I'd never heard of globe walking. I've looked on the web and found this page linked below and here is a bit from it:
`The lady depicted was Mademoiselle Florence who, in June 1903, walked her 2 foot diameter globe from London to Brighton over a period of 3 days and 22 hours. She was reputed to be the Champion Globe Walker of the World and appeared regularly at the Empire Theatre. Here she demonstrated feats such as descending a flight of steps and performing dance routines upon her globe. Globe walking was popularised as a music hall and variety act, particularly by a Madame Alphonsine about 20 years prior to this.'
LINK

Thanks Tize, that was something completely different, I've never heard of it before.

Never heard of it..... In a similar vein.....

1880 cross dresser?

The answer is a breeze

He knows what it is.......

So do I. Remember there was no television in those days.

Adopt the position....

How to recycle bin bags!

Tripps wrote: ↑28 Jan 2019, 10:45 Remember there was no television in those days.

Or bin bags...

A real shirt lap lifter - it has blown liquorice allsorts from his rear.