Wednesday 4 February 2009

Keep Calm and Carry On




The poster has become a bit of a cliche in Britain today, appearing on countless kitchen walls, but the BBC News has an interesting story today about its origins.

It was produced during the Second World War by the Ministry of Information, to be distributed only in the event of the gravest national catastrophe. Two other posters were also made, with the same red background and King George VI crown: "Freedom is in Peril" and "Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory".

Apparently the poster was forgotten until 2000, when a bookseller from Northumberland found a copy in a box of books that he acquired at auction. His customers clamoured to buy the poster, and he now sells thousands of copies of it.

BBC News story

3 comments:

Pigtown*Design said...

I did some of my little books with this as the cover. I think it's just perfect. My philosophy is "don't worry about what you can't control", found after a long night stuck at the bottom of a remote canyon. No matter how much gnashing and wailing I did, I wouldn't get out one minute sooner... so, i kept calm and carried on.

Springheel said...

A mug printed with the poster sits in front of me on my desk. Yes, it has become a cliche - but given where we find ourselves at present, I find it strangely comforting every time I read it.

Tone Loki said...

Any idea if anyone has the other two for sale? I think they're also quite apt for these modern times..