Story: Clothes

Children with bare feet, early 20th century

Children with bare feet, early 20th century

In New Zealand, children of all backgrounds have gone barefoot in public, whereas in Britain this was seen as a sign of poverty and frowned upon. The girls in this family photograph taken in Christchurch in the early 20th century look entirely comfortable unshod – this was probably normal for them. 

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Adam MacLay Collection
Reference: 1/1-028247-G
Photograph by Adam Henry Pearson Maclay

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Fiona McKergow, 'Clothes - Children’s clothes', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/41147/children-with-bare-feet-early-20th-century (accessed 20 May 2024)

Story by Fiona McKergow, published 5 Sep 2013