Public Competitions, Sheffield 1981-83

The aim of this first social documentary project was to record these public events and peripheral activities centred around contests. The premise is that they reflect and characterise elements of our society at that point in time.

Public competitions and related events were common place and extremely popular in Sheffield during the early 1980’s. Many of these were enabled by the Sheffield Star Newspaper group often in association with a sponsor in order to promote a business or service. The contest winners photographs were always given prominent positioning in the newspaper and were useful ‘page fillers’ and a distraction from the usual everyday news.

I’ve always been interested and attracted to people who appear different, so a community of people that compete with each other in these public events offered a possible insight into a cultural of behaviour that was worth exploring.

Sheffield in the early 1980’s was a grey place. The city was in the throes of a deep recession, deindustrialization and high unemployment was blighting peoples lives, the steel and coal industries were in irreversible decline and the future held nothing but uncertainty. Boxing matches, beauty contests, dance and body building competitions all offered a small distraction and ray of light in a dreary world.

My position as an outsider was one of an observer of this social behaviour, much of which I tried to photograph with irony and humour. On one level the events were harmless fun, indulging in vanity, self promotion and delusory glamour (tears and tiaras), but there were other more compelling reasons that motivated young people into entering these contests.

The psychology to stand out and be recognised as the best, the most beautiful, the strongest, a winner, was an understandable and powerful driver. But more importantly, these contests offered a way out of Sheffield, an escape route from an unequal, economically depressed city that offered few opportunities with low paid work for most, possibly towards a better future.

The chances were there (although slim), careers, money and dreams could come true. Muscle men and women, beauty contest winners, ring and promotion girls could be spotted and offered modelling contracts with national agencies. Children could become the face of popular clothing manufacturers, dancers might be offered jobs in West End musicals.

But there was something else troubling about these public contest events.

It was symptomatic of those times (and these) that there was an accepted culture that promoted this route of ‘perfection, success and happiness’. Particularly were the child and adult beauty contests where the girls and women were judged entirely on their outward appearance seemingly just for the approval of men. I’m sure the psychological and emotional consequences of not winning were given little consideration, especially as the judging criteria that selected a winner was never disclosed.

Questioning and recording these popular displays of public social behaviour as a student was a worthwhile learning exercise, even in 1981 these events seemed archaic, almost bizarre. I’ve tried to fairly evaluate the positive and negative sides of these events balancing everyones liberty and the right to do as they wish, with the fun, glitz and glamour, together with possible career opportunities.

However, perhaps the most compelling consequence of these contests and events, viewed from an outsiders perspective, is how they re-enforce widely held stereotypical images and ideas that promote the objectification of girls and women that can only increase the already existing barriers and challenges women face.

This selection of photographs formed part of my degree show and was exhibited in its entirety at the Untitled Gallery, Sheffield in 1983.

[PC 001] Boxing champion boxer Kenny Bristol weighs in at the Club Tiberius Sporting Club, Duchess Road, Sheffield. He is defending his Commonwealth (British Empire) Super Welterweight title against Sheffield’s Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham.
Club Tiberius Sporting Club, Sheffield. 11am. 25.11.1981

Pictured with him is Joy Shearer one of the Shearer triplets. The Shearer triplets, Joy, Joanne and Julie were well known in Sheffield throughout the late 1970’s and early 80’s for their glamour, promotion work, part-time modelling and go-go dancing. Joy had also recently come third in a ‘Miss Lovely Legs’ competition.

[PC 002] Victorious Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham arrives at the Club Tiberius with the Shearer triplets after his win on points after 15 rounds against Kenny Bristol.
Club Tiberius Sporting Club, Sheffield. 25.11.1981

[PC 003] Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham poses with the Shearer triplets at his after match celebration party at the Club Tiberius. As he had arrived late for the party which had started without him, food had been saved for him. He was later presented with a clock.
Club Tiberius Sporting Club, Sheffield. 25.11.1981

[PC 004] A ring card girl climbs into the ring at the Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham and Chris Christian Commonwealth (British Empire) Super Welterweight title fight. She is carrying a card that displays the number of the next round.
Sheffield City Hall. 24.02.1982

[PC 005] Ring card girl at the Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham and Chris Christian Commonwealth (British Empire) Super Welterweight title fight.
Sheffield City Hall. 24.02.1982

Children’s competitions were very popular during the 70’s and early 1980’s. ‘Miss Julie’ was a children’s ‘beauty’ competition organised by Sheffield department store Debenhams in association with The Star newspaper. ‘Miss Julie’ was a children’s clothing brand. The contest aim was to market the ‘Miss Julie’ brand and boost the Star’s newspaper circulation. Ventriloquist Keith Harris and Orville performed later at the event.

[PC 006] ‘Miss Julie’ 1st semi-final winner Emma-Jane Gill (4-6 age group) and compère Peter Gray.
Debenhams, Sheffield. 19.11.1981

[PC 007] ‘Miss Julie’ contestant parade’s with compère Peter Gray at the 1st semi final contest.
Debenhams, Sheffield. 19.11.1981

[PC 008] ‘Miss Julie’ contest judges and onlookers.
Debenhams, Sheffield. 19.11.1981

[PC 009] ‘Miss Julie’ contestant and onlookers.
Debenhams, Sheffield. 12.12.1981

[PC 010] ‘Miss Julie’ contestants are led off stage after the final selection has been made.
Debenhams, Sheffield. 12.12.1981

[PC 011] Contestant mothers and ‘Miss Julie’ winner Rachael Buckley.
Debenhams, Sheffield. 12.12.1981

‘Miss Gazette’ was an annual beauty contest held at Romeo’s & Juliet’s nightclub, Bank Street, Sheffield. The Gazette was a free weekly advertising newspaper, part of the Sheffield Star Newspapers Group.

[PC 012] Compère and contestant at the semi-final of ‘Miss Gazette’ beauty contest.
Romeo’s & Juliet’s, Sheffield. 22.04.1983

[PC 013 Marie Rees, age 20. Contestant back stage at the semi-final of ‘Miss Gazette’ beauty contest.
Romeo’s & Juliet’s, Sheffield. 22.04.1983

[PC 014] Contestants pose for a Sheffield Star newspaper photographer at the semi-final of ‘Miss Gazette’ beauty contest.
Romeo’s & Juliet’s, Sheffield. 22.04.1983

[PC 015 ‘Miss Gazette 1983’ winner Carol Stuart celebrates backstage.
Romeo’s & Juliet’s, Sheffield. 03.05.1983

The ‘Mr Wimp’ contest was a popular event held at Romeo & Juliet’s nightclub, Sheffield. The intention was to mock the more ‘serious’ beauty competitions of the time.

[PC 016] ‘Mr Wimp’ contestants pose backstage.
Romeo & Juliets, Sheffield. 1983

[PC 017] ‘Mr Wimp’ contest winner Russell and ‘Mr Muscle’, the winner of a national body building competition, these two competition winners have met for a publicity photo shoot. The strap-line for the story was ‘Russell meets Mr Muscle’.
Top Rank Suite, Sheffield. 1983

[PC 018] Two bodybuilding contestants perform one of the mandatory ‘open handed’ muscularity contest poses.
Top Rank Suite, Sheffield. 1983

[PC 019] Contestants at the Commonwealth Disco Dance Contest.
Top Rank Suite, Sheffield. 03.05.1982

[PC 020] Disco dance twin sisters at the Commonwealth Disco Dance Contest.
Top Rank Suite, Sheffield. 03.05.1982

[PC 021] ‘Miss Motor Show’ contestants prepare to parade on stage.
The Sheffield Motor Show & Family Gala, Graves Park, Sheffield. July 1982

[PC 022] ‘The Miss Motor Show compère conducts an awkward interview with a contestant.
The Sheffield Motor Show & Family Gala, Graves Park, Sheffield. July 1982

[PC 023] ‘Miss Motor Show Entrants’. Apprehensive contestants queue before parading and being interviewed on stage. The Sheffield Motor Show & Family Gala, Graves Park, Sheffield. July 1982

[PC 024] Compère and Miss Gazette 1983 Semi-Final contestants. Romeo & Juliets Nightclub, Sheffield. 22/04/82 Graves Park, Sheffield. July 1982

[PC 025] Miss Gazette 1983 Final. Winner Carol Stuart with runner up (wearing sashes) and unplaced contestants hold envelopes containing their consolation cheques. Romeo & Juliets Night Club, Sheffield. 03/05/83

[PC 026] Common Wealth Disco Dance contestants rehearse to the rear of the main dance floor. Top Rank Suite, Sheffield. 03/05/82

[PC 027] Junior Star Dynamic Disco Contest. Uncle Bernie, Auntie Janet and a colleague are judges at this popular children’s disco dance contest held each Saturday morning. The event was sponsored by the Sheffield Star newspaper. Romeo & Juliets Nightclub, Sheffield. 20/02/82

[PC 028] Junior Star Dynamic Disco Contest. Children take a break from the dancing. The girls were all wearing bright red lipstick, imitating their older peers. Romeo & Juliets Nightclub, Sheffield. 20/02/82

[PC 029] Junior Star Dynamic Disco Contest. Excited kids and grandmother. Romeo & Juliets Nightclub, Sheffield. 20/02/82

[PC 030] Radio Hallam Disco Dance Contest Final. Radio Hallam DJ interviews the thrilled winners. Tiffany’s Nightclub, Rotherham. December 1981

[PC 031] Camera Choice Magazine Promotion Contest, Debenhams, Sheffield. The public were invited to pose and photograph the models in order to win a subscription to Camera Choice magazine. They were provided with a polaroid camera and film, writing their contact details on the reverse of the polaroid, which would be judged later. Props available were cuddly toys and an empty champagne bottle with glasses. 10/03/82

[PC 032] Motor Show NEC Birmingham. A model poses uncomfortably on top of a Kingfisher Sprint sports car. The archaic concept of ‘sex sells’ was widely accepted as an established marketing strategy throughout the automotive retail industry at this time. 24/10/82