Home > History

As seen in:
Shop the largest selection of Keep Calm and Carry On items in the USA Fast Shipping! Free Gift Wrap! Every item comes with a card telling the history of Keep Calm and Carry On. Over 20 Items. Call us for help at 212 686 9313. Please visit our sister site www.DecorativeThings.com too!

Keep Calm and Carry On History

The History of the Keep Calm and Carry On Poster The British Ministry of Information created the Keep Calm and Carry On poster in the spring of 1939 to allay the fear of the English population should Germany invade Great Britain. The poster was printed but never issued. No one seems to know why the poster was never issued but a look at the history of the British Ministry of Information creator of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster, gives us some clues. The British Ministry of Information was created in 1918 by Lord Beaverbrook, a newspaper owner. He wanted it to be a central office for news, censorship, and propaganda but it was primarily used to disseminate propaganda to other countries during WWI and it was therefore disbanded right after the war. In 1935, when the British observed the power of Germany's propaganda machine spearheaded by Goebbels, they decided to ressurrect the Ministry. A combination of civil servants, advertising and public relations experts were recruited but the efforts were said to be quite disorganized at the beginning. This may explain why the Keep Calm and Carry On poster was never issued. In fact it is amazing that the Keep Calm and Carry On poster was even created. Apparently the history of the agency from WWI was that it generated posters that were "rather drab in color, short on humour and sex appeal, and with a tendency towards wordiness and over-full explanations." (footnote 1.) Quite the opposite of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster! It was not until June 1941 when Churchill instructed all public relations officials to work as a team for the Ministry that things shaped up. In July 1941, when "Brendan Bracken (1901-1958),Churchill's advisor and handpicked Minister of Information became the Minister of Information, that the department was said to start to meet its objectives. "Bracken had excellent press relations, a very close frienship with the Prime Minister, bustling confidence in tackling the Ministry's adversaries, and scorn for the exhoration of the British public." (Footnote 2.) Perhaps if the Keep Calm and Carry On poster had been created a few years later, it would have been as well known during the war as it is today. British American Back-story King George Visits America The crown on the Keep Calm and Carry On poster belonged to King George VI(1895-1952.) King George VI was the younger brother of Edward the VIII who was the heir apparent to the throne until he abdicated to marry American divorcee, Wallis Simpson. King George VI created quite a stir himself when he became the first member of the British Monarchy ever to visit America in 1939. As part of the Royal visit, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth went to the home of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt in Hyde Park, New York. Eleanor created a picnic menu that featured items likely not on the royal platter, including Hot Dogs! Here is her menu. It created quite a stir in the Press. Can you guess why? (answer below)
MENU FOR PICNIC AT HYDE PARK Sunday, June 11, 1939 Virginia Ham Hot Dogs (if weather permits) Smoked Turkey Cranberry Jelly Green Salad Rolls Strawberry Shortcake Coffee, Beer, Soft Drinks	King George VI, Eleanor Roosevelt and Queen Elizabeth
Despite being lampooned in the press for serving hot dogs, Eleanor knew her company and trusted her instincts as a hostess. The Queen herself loved the whole experience and even mentions the hotdogs in a subsequent correspondence with Eleanor. Judging from the full text of the letter, the picnic appears to have been one of few cheery moments in a sad period leading up to WWII. This is an excerpt: “We look back with such great pleasure to those lovely days we spent with you last June. We often talk of them, and of your & the President's welcome & hospitality. The picnic was great fun, and our children were so thrilled with the descriptions of the Indian singing & marvelous clothes - not to mention the hot dogs!” In his book, The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy, historian David Cannadine quotes a member of British “Society” lamenting in 1938 that “England has become Americanised." Perhaps the current popularity of the British Keep Calm and Carry On poster in the USA will make the British feel we Americans are getting a little “Anglicised” in return. (MENU AND LETTER FROM THE FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY) Read more about Keep Calm and Carry On History at WIKIPEDIA. Read more about the period of Keep Calm and Carry On, Eleanor Roosevelt and George VI. Read more about how George VI and Queen Elizabeth Kept Calm and Carried On at Hyde Park On her UK blog, British grad student Rebecca Lewis is somewhat of an authority on British propaganda and posters. In addition to the Keep Calm and Carry On poster, she tells us about other WWII posters: with catchy slogans like: CARELESS TALK COSTS LIVES, COUGHS AND SNEEZES SPREAD DISEASES, DIG FOR VICTORY, KEEP MUM, SHE'S NOT SO DUMB, LEND A HAND ON THE LAND, LOOK OUT IN THE BLACKOUT. The Keep Calm and Carry On poster is still our favorite but the British do have a way with words! The information on the Ministry of information above was learned from: Lewis, R.M., 'Chapter 3: The Administrative Context, the Ministry of Information and Social Surveys', Undergraduate Thesis: The planning, design and reception of British home front propaganda posters of the Second World War', the thesis which includes background surrounding the Keep Calm and Carry On poster was written April 1997 and accessed September 22,2009. Footnote sources used by R.M. Lewis: (1)(Harper, P. War, Revolution and Peace, Propaganda Posters from the Hoover Institution Archives 1914-1945, [1969], p40). (2) McLaine, I. Ministry of Morale: Home Front Morale and the Ministry of Information in World War Two, 1979, p.7)