Poem ~ Poster Appeal - Saturday, 28 November 1914

Having joined forces of

The Territorial’s and Army,

Had been a flow of men,

Numbering 10,000 workers,

From the Lancashire mines -

With no abatement in sight.

These men were seen

As sturdy miners -

From Bolton’s Hulton

Colliery Company,

Out of 2000 workmen,

350 stepped forward,

Making their enlistment.

At Colonel Hargreave’s Pits

Burnley, 550 joined

From 3000 hardened workers.

For those miners that went

To the call, their employers

Generously gave their

Family’s allowances -

The Lancashire coal owners,

Then paid out monies,

To total some thousands.

Whitehall, Central London

And the Recruitment Depot’s

Publicity Department, -

Issued a new set of posters,

Designed to promote recruitment.

Described as attractive,

These were available

To anyone, that wished

To display a poster,

In the London County areas.

Formed in varied sizes,

These had replaced those

Out of date or soiled.

The designed posters,

Could be displayed

In Taxi cabs, motor cars,

Shop windows

And restaurants.

Invitations were soon made

To estate agents,

Who had any vacant

Properties on the main

Traffic highways,

Where placards and posters,

Were to be attractively placed.

Perfect places were Picture

Palaces - with their new

Gilded settings - these could

Entice audiences -

On seeing pictorial posters,

Would surely, swiftly swell

Recruitment numbers.

Also the call went out

To clubs, associations

And societies –

Asking secretaries to provide

Any number of branches -

Then recruitment posters

Would be quickly sent out.

One specific poster,

And handbill,

Was to appeal to both

Sports men,

And fans of football,

For show on such grounds.

In addition soldiers pay,

Detailed in pamphlet form,

Advised of allowances,

For family dependants,

Was soon issued.

Requests were addressed,

To Whitehall, in London’s

Publicity department -

So that no man in London

Might not turn, without

Seeing that posters,

Call out to his senses.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Men for the Army – Patriotic Colliers. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 28 Nov. P.4. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11258892/Daily-Telegraph-November-28-1914.html [Accessed: 28 November 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 28 November 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11258892/Daily-Telegraph-November-28-1914.html

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