History of the "Keep Calm Carry On" Poster & Barter Books

Came across this beautifully shot video of the story of the iconic Keep Calm and Carry On poster. It's not London Underground related, but there's a wonderful railway element, as you will see when you watch the video. I for one never knew that this poster was never actually displayed during the Second World War, although other similiar ones were.


It was kept in reserve and only to be used in times of crisis or invasion. The poster only became famous some 50 years later when an awesome second hand bookshop in the North East of England, Barter Books, discovered it and put it on display in their shop. The rest is history.


Barter Books, founded in 1991 by Stuart & Mary Manley and is based in an old Victorian railway station. Huge rows of bookshelves stand where the tracks would have been.


However, the station's old tea rooms and waiting rooms are still used as lovely comfortable areas to read the books.


In 2000, Stuart discovered the poster in a box of dusty old books that had been bought at auction. His wife Mary, liked the poster so much she put it up near the till. It proved so popular with customers that a year later they began to sell copies of that and the two designs that were used as war time posters. The poster has since been reproduced & parodied countless times and remains an iconic image. It's hard to say exactly why it became so popular but as the narrator in the video concludes:

"Like a voice out of history it offers a very simple warm hearted message to inspire others in difficult times. And it's something that should never fade from fashion"


I think I've found my ideal retirement job too. Running a bookshop in an old railway or Tube station. Mary & Stuart you rock!

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London Underground; Tube Posted by annie mole Tuesday, March 06, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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