Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1934-present (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2567 items
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Not available.
Archival history
GB 0813 POST 110 Series 1934-present Series 2567 items
Not given
Not available.
Please contact the Archive for further information.
When Stephen Tallents became GPO (General Post Office) Public Relations Manager in 1933, he decided to adopt the use of posters to carry information from the Post Office to the public. The bulk of POST 110 consists of over 6000 posters produced by the Post Office from the creation of its Public Relations Department in 1934 up to the present day.
Posters were initially produced for distribution to schools as an educational aid, or for display on mail vans, but soon the decision was taken to produce posters specifically designed to be displayed inside public offices; subject matter included public information and sales of philatelic items.
Posters for internal purposes were also produced by the Joint Production Council from the 1950s, these variously encouraged staff to be industrious, vigilant and to be thrifty.
Many well-known artists and designers have been commissioned by the Post Office (particularly in the 1930s-1950s) to produce posters. These artists include Peter Huveneers, Hans Schleger (Zero), Abram Games, Austin Cooper, Eric Fraser, Jan Lewitt, George Him, Tom Eckersley, Edward McKnight Kauffer, Harold Sandys Williamson, Frederic Henri Kay Henrion, Hans Arnold Rothholz, Ronald Searle and Barnett Freedman.
POST 110 also includes POPOS (Post Office Point of Sale) display instructions produced for branches, giving information on the display material they should obtain and display for particular periods. It also includes other publicity material such as leaflets and calendars.
There is an ongoing project to catalogue POST 110, with the main focus currently on the posters; there are 1,837 posters catalogued and available for viewing via our online catalogue, the majority of these records also include images of the posters.
National Savings posters are included up to 1969, when NS became a government department separate from the Post Office.
Many posters which are displayed in post offices do not advertise post office services (for example advertising Department of Society Security benefits, or promoting charitable collections) and these are not retained.
Post 110/1 is divided according to the publication code on each poster; for example, 'PRD' posters form a sub-series, as do 'RMN' and 'S&C'. Within each sub-series posters are arranged numerically by publication number; posters without publication numbers are listed in the 'unnumbered' sub-series.
Public Record
Please contact the Archive for further information.
English
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
EAD validated May 2011 Postal services Advertising Public information Public relations Post Office Mass communication Communication industry Communication process
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
When Stephen Tallents became GPO (General Post Office) Public Relations Manager in 1933, he decided to adopt the use of posters to carry information from the Post Office to the public. The bulk of POST 110 consists of over 6000 posters produced by the Post Office from the creation of its Public Relations Department in 1934 up to the present day.
Posters were initially produced for distribution to schools as an educational aid, or for display on mail vans, but soon the decision was taken to produce posters specifically designed to be displayed inside public offices; subject matter included public information and sales of philatelic items.
Posters for internal purposes were also produced by the Joint Production Council from the 1950s, these variously encouraged staff to be industrious, vigilant and to be thrifty.
Many well-known artists and designers have been commissioned by the Post Office (particularly in the 1930s-1950s) to produce posters. These artists include Peter Huveneers, Hans Schleger (Zero), Abram Games, Austin Cooper, Eric Fraser, Jan Lewitt, George Him, Tom Eckersley, Edward McKnight Kauffer, Harold Sandys Williamson, Frederic Henri Kay Henrion, Hans Arnold Rothholz, Ronald Searle and Barnett Freedman.
POST 110 also includes POPOS (Post Office Point of Sale) display instructions produced for branches, giving information on the display material they should obtain and display for particular periods. It also includes other publicity material such as leaflets and calendars.
There is an ongoing project to catalogue POST 110, with the main focus currently on the posters; there are 1,837 posters catalogued and available for viewing via our online catalogue, the majority of these records also include images of the posters.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
National Savings posters are included up to 1969, when NS became a government department separate from the Post Office.
Many posters which are displayed in post offices do not advertise post office services (for example advertising Department of Society Security benefits, or promoting charitable collections) and these are not retained.
Accruals
System of arrangement
Post 110/1 is divided according to the publication code on each poster; for example, 'PRD' posters form a sub-series, as do 'RMN' and 'S&C'. Within each sub-series posters are arranged numerically by publication number; posters without publication numbers are listed in the 'unnumbered' sub-series.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Public Record
Conditions governing reproduction
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Communication industry » Postal services
- Communication process » Advertising
- Communication process » Mass communication » Public information
- Communication process » Mass communication » Public relations
- Communication process » Mass communication
- Communication industry
- Communication process
- Communication process » Mass communication
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English