You can download my entire PhD thesis in PDF format from the British Library Ethos service, including images, etc. but I am putting my text available on my website for those who are interested. The original plan was to turn this into a book, but instead, some papers are published or in development, and I wrote Keep Calm and Carry On: The Truth Behind the Poster for the Imperial War Museum in 2017.
You can find some of the images on Wikimedia Commons, check the IWM collections, or National Archives ‘Art of War’ (for which I wrote most of the content).
Doctor of Philosophy, SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, WINCHESTER an accredited college of the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON
ABSTRACT
This project focuses on propaganda posters produced during the Second World War (1939 to 1945), primarily by the British government, aimed chiefly at their civilian population. The project uses Foucauldian discourse analysis and content analysis to investigate the images and their context, and identify key themes across a wide range of posters, over a long time-frame. This thesis contributes to an historical understanding of the British popular propaganda experience, largely ignored in previous historical research.
Drawing on material from several archives, including the Imperial War Museum (IWM), the Public Record Office (PRO) and Mass-Observation (M-O), the project also uses questionnaires to elicit memories of the posters, and a poster database to collect together material which would otherwise remain dispersed. The thesis sets the posters against a background of contextual material, it identifies key propaganda theories, discerns relevant poster styles and recognises British poster style as one of pragmatic functionalism. The thesis outlines the poster production and distribution processes of the Ministry of Information (MOI) and considers the first (highly criticised) posters before concentrating on four case studies, each of which is structured in three sections: the planning (context), the design, and the reception of the posters.
The first case study examines what people were fighting for, and identifies their ‘imagined community’, by considering urban and rural representations of the UK in the posters. The second case study considers industrial propaganda, emphasises the idea of the island nation, and identifies those involved in the industrial effort. The third case study looks at the ‘enemy within’, and examines who was excluded from, or was considered damaging to, the war effort. The fourth case study explores in detail who was compromising the war effort through their sexual behaviour, putting themselves at risk of venereal disease. The thesis argues that the posters drew heavily on longer term discourses emanating from new and established institutions, although there was often a clear distinction between those that drew on the past and tradition, and those that pushed forward to the future.
Contents
These are the page numbers from the thesis, but I will also connect to the various chapters on this website.
| Volume One |
Page |
| Abstract | i |
| Contents | ii |
| Acknowledgements | iv |
| List of Abbreviations | vi |
| Introduction | 1 |
| CHAPTER 1: Methods and Sources | 28 |
| CHAPTER 2: Placing the British Experience of the Propaganda Poster in Context | 51 |
| CHAPTER 3: Commissioning, Design & Distribution, with a particular focus on the MOI and the first posters produced. | 80 |
| CHAPTER 4: Case Study: Representations of ‘Your Britain’, Urban and Rural | 110 |
| CHAPTER 5: Case Study: Industrial Posters | 140 |
| CHAPTER 6: Case Study: The ‘Enemy Within’ | 172 |
| CHAPTER 7: Case Study: The ‘Problem’ of Venereal Disease in Wartime | 203 |
| Conclusion | 232 |
| Bibliography | 246 |
| Volume Two: Part 1 | |
| Appendix 1: Image Files | 1 |
| Appendix 2: Collections Information | 71 |
| Appendix 3: Questionnaire | 79 |
| Appendix 4: Propaganda Models | 91 |
| Appendix 5: Own Propaganda Model | 92 |
| Appendix 6: MOI Organisational Charts | 93 |
| Appendix 7: General Division Chart | 95 |
| Appendix 8: Industrial Stoppages | 100 |
| Appendix 9: VD Statistics | 101 |
| Volume Two: Part 2 | |
| Database | 102 |
| Technical Document | 103 |
| Keyword Information | 108 |
| User Guide | 140 |
| Sample Reports | 157 |
| Technical Information | 171 |
| Artist Information | 174 |
Acknowledgements
My thanks are due first to my Director of Studies, Dr Martin Polley, of the School of Education, University of Southampton (formerly of King Alfred’s College of Higher Education, Winchester), and my Second Supervisor, Professor Joyce Goodman, of University College, Winchester, for their guidance, encouragement and enthusiasm for my project over the years. My thanks are also directed at my Academic Advisor, Dr Terence Rodgers, of Bath Spa University College, for advice and comments on particular aspects of the thesis, and to Professor Roger Richardson, University College, Winchester, for his initial help and supervision of the project. I am grateful to Dr Malcolm Smith, of the University of Wales, Lampeter, and Dr Chris Aldous, of University College, Winchester, for their examining input at the upgrade stage.
University College, Winchester also provided a lively research community and I am grateful to other staff and postgraduates for their support and ideas, in particular Dr Stephanie Spencer for allowing me to practise verbally expounding my ideas. King Alfred’s generously funded the initial three years of study, and has subsequently funded attendance at conferences, giving me further opportunities to present my work and discuss issues with established historians. It also funded participation at workshops, including those concerning the digitisation of historical resources. The library, in particular Miranda Nield-Dumper, patiently ordered many inter-library loans, and the ITCS Department ensured that my computer remained in working order, whilst Ian Short (software developer) and Lynne Frost (née Biltcliffe) (IT Trainer) also provided help with the initial development of the project database. I am exceptionally grateful to Dr James Heather, University of Surrey at Guildford, who has spent many hours developing the project database to my requirements, even whilst completing his own PhD.
An extensive amount of time has been spent in archives and record offices, and I thank all the staff for the help and advice given, particularly the following: Michael Moody at the Imperial War Museum; Anna Green and Joy Eldridge of the Mass-Observation Archives; Katrina Royall and others at the Victoria & Albert Museum; the Public Record Office; the British Library, in particular The British Library Newspaper Library, Colindale; Churchill Archives Centre, Cambridge; the London Transport Museum; the House of Lords Record Office; the Wellcome Institute and the Women’s Library.
I am also indebted to other libraries that allowed me to use their facilities in the course of my research, in particular Winchester School of Art Library, the Hartley Library, University of Southampton; the Institute for Historical Research; St. Peter’s Library, University of Brighton; Templeman Library, University of Kent at Canterbury, and the library at the University of Sussex. I am very appreciative of University College, Winchester who allowed me to attend the ‘Research Methodology’ module from ‘MA in Regional and Local History and Archaeology’, and Winchester School of Art, who allowed me to attend selected lectures from ‘MA: Art and Ideology in Europe 1917-1968’, both free of charge. I also appreciate the University of Kent at Canterbury, who allowed me to attend selected lectures from their ‘MA in Propaganda, Persuasion and History’. I am very grateful to all those who have written to me, particularly those who completed my questionnaire in 1997 and 1998, from which I received much useful information.
Personally, I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me throughout the years, financially, practically and with moral support, especially my parents. I am exceptionally grateful to Andrew Frost for providing me with a room at a rate that I could afford to stay in Winchester for a key time. Particular thanks goes to Toby and Nicky Robinson and Justin Wood for providing me with places to stay whilst conducting extensive research in London, and to Dr Justine Cooper, who alongside such practical help, provided beneficial advice arising from her previous experience as a Winchester PhD student. Kate Stephens gave me exceptional moral support, Karen Neal allowed me to practise explaining my thesis, David and Chris Quayle were supportive landlords during the final months of writing, and there are many more whom I could name, including Amanda Henocq and Helen Hobbs, but the list would be absurdly long. I am very grateful to all those who have given me their friendship, put up with my odd hours, and provided me with lifts and practical help.
Abbreviations
Abbreviations used throughout the text, including within the chronology and appendices.
| ABCA | Army Bureau of Current Affairs |
| AGI | Alliance Graphique Internationale |
| AIA | Artists International Association |
| AIDS | Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome |
| ARP | Air Raid Precautions |
| ATS | Auxiliary Territorial Service |
| BBC | British Broadcasting Corporation |
| BIPO | British Institute of Public Opinion |
| BMJ | British Medical Journal |
| BSHC | British Social Hygiene Council |
| BUF | British Union of Fascists |
| CAI | Council for Art and Industry |
| CBE | Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
| CCHE | Central Council for Health Education |
| CID | Committee for Imperial Defence |
| COI | Central Office of Information |
| DG | Director General (of MOI) |
| DDG | Deputy Director General (of MOI) |
| EMB | Empire Marketing Board |
| ENSA | Entertainments’ National Service Association |
| EWO | Emergency Works Order |
| FO | Foreign Office |
| GPD | General Production Division |
| GPO | General Post Office |
| HI | Home Intelligence Division |
| HLRO
HPD |
House of Lords Records Office
Home Publicity Division |
| HMEC | Home Morale Emergency Committee |
| HMSO | His/Her Majesty’s Stationary Office |
| HOC | House of Commons |
| HPC | Home Planning Committee |
| IPA | Institute for Propaganda Analysis |
| IWM | Imperial War Museum |
| JAS | Junior Assistant Specialist |
| LCC | London City Council |
| LDV | Local Defence Volunteers |
| LNER | London and North-Eastern Railway |
| LPTB | London Passenger Transport Board |
| LT | London Transport |
| LTM | London Transport Museum |
| MACS | Medical Advisory Committee for Scotland |
| MBE | Member of the Order of the British Empire |
| MIRIAD | Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design |
| MMB | Milk Marketing Board |
| MNCS | Merchant Navy Comforts Service |
| M-O | Mass-Observation |
| MOF | Ministry of Food |
| MOH | Ministry of Health |
| MOI | Ministry of Information |
| MOLNS | Ministry of Labour and National Service |
| MOWT | Ministry of War Transport |
| NAL | National Art Library |
| NCCVD | National Council for Combatting Venereal Diseases |
| NGA | National Galley of Art (USA) |
| NHS | National Health Service |
| NSC | National Savings Committee |
| NSPVD | National Society for the Prevention of Venereal Diseases |
| OBE | Office of the Order of the British Empire |
| PRO | Public Record Office |
| PWE | Political Warfare Executive |
| RA | Royal Academy of Art |
| RAC | Royal Armoured Corps |
| RAF | Royal Air Force |
| RAOC | Royal Army Ordnance Corps |
| RCA | Royal College of Art |
| RDI | Royal Designer for Industry |
| RIO | Regional Information Officer |
| RMVP | Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda |
| ROSPA/RSPA | Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents |
| RSMA | Royal Society of Marine Artists |
| SHAEF | Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force |
| SIA | Society of Industrial Artists |
| SOE | Special Operations Executive |
| UK | United Kingdom |
| USA | United States of America |
| USSR | Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
| V&A | Victoria and Albert Museum |
| VADS | Visual Arts Data Service |
| VD | Venereal Disease |
| WAAF | Women’s Auxiliary Air Force |
| WLA | Women’s Land Army |
| WRNS | Women’s Royal Naval Service |
| WSS | Wartime Social Survey |
| WVS | Women’s Voluntary Service |
Featured image source: Wikipedia
