Costume design by Jan le Witt for the Golliwog in Children's Corner, 1948

The original golliwog was a central character in a series of books by Bertha and Florence Upton published between 1895 and 1909. Florence, the illustrator of the stories, based the golliwog on a doll she had acquired in the US in the 1880s. The appearance of this doll was influenced by the Blackface performance tradition. From the late 19th century until the 1960s, the golliwog flourished as a toy. Its image featured on toys, games, textiles and ceramics and was also used by food companies. From the 1970s the golliwog's popularity began to wane as many British people felt that it promoted racial stereotypes.

This design is one of five designs for the ballet, Children's Corner, bought at Sotheby's sale of Illustrated Books, Children's Books and Related Drawings, London, 30 November 1994 (Lot 388). Associated production: Children's Corner. Choreographer: John Cranko. Designer: Jan le Witt. Dancer: David Poole. Performing company: Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet. Sadler's Wells, London, 6.4.1948. Performance category: Ballet. David Poole danced the role of the Golliwog in this production. John Cranko came to England to study at the Sadler's Wells School in 1946 and went on to join the Sadler's Wells Ballet Company as choreographer rather than dancer. As there were few opportunities for producing ballets with the company, Cranko had been working for the Royal Academy of Dancing Production Club. Here, Ninette de Valois saw Morceaux Enfantins, set to Debussy's suite of the same name, and brought it into the Theatre Ballet repertory. Renamed Children's Corner, and given new designs by the well-known children's book illustrator, Jan le Witt, the ballet joined the repertory in 1948.

S.2102-1995