Peter Walters chose…
Postcards of Frances Burchell as Lady Godiva, 1936

The Godiva Procession has a long and at times raucous history, featuring drunkenness, allegations of lascivious behaviour and frequent denunciations from the pulpit. By the time these photographs were taken it had become a good deal more respectable and Frances Burchell, a clerk in the Gas Department of Birmingham Corporation, epitomised that, giving her Godiva a dignified presence and an aura of sanctity.

Nevertheless, the story and the image still have a potency, harking back to an age long gone yet relevant to the modern world too.Most importantly, perhaps, it belongs to us, to Coventry. That's why I chose these photographs.

Peter Walters is the Chair of the Friends of the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum

What the curator says:
Postcard of Frances Burchell as Lady Godiva, 1936, collected in 2000

Processions to celebrate Lady Godiva's famous naked ride through the streets of Coventry have been held from at least the 1670s. They have been a major part of life in the city ever since. Traditionally the mayor, city officials and the city's trading companies took part alongside marching bands and historical characters. In the early processions the part of Lady Godiva was played by a boy.

An estimated 200,000 people watched the 1936 procession. Instead of the usual characters from Coventry's history, this procession featured famous female characters. These included Queen Isabella, Margaret of Anjou and the Queen of Sheba, who rode a live camel.

The procession ended in the Memorial Park, where another 100,000 people enjoyed a funfair, dancing, boxing, stunt motorcycles and a firework display.