Mr Punch, originally owned by Punch and Judy performer, Ernest Brisbane. 

The figure's original eyes were at some point removed and replaced by oversized round green glass eyes, set in grey model making cement.  These have been replaced with a new pair of eyes made from wood and inset with glass to match in with the rest of the set.

Also, fabric which had been sewn onto the front of the original red felt costume as a means of patching it has been removed to bring the costume back to how it would have looked originally. The gold braid is original to the puppet.

(The other Brisbane puppets in the set are all in good/very good order, and have not required any work.)

In memory of Stella Richards. 

Stella was a great character and lived a full and varied life.  I loved hearing her anecdotes (some many times over!) about her fascinating childhood, her time as a young nurse during WWII, and her years as a puppeteer and museum curator (and heaps more besides). 

She will be missed.

This site will end in November 2010.  A new site will follow.

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