Our top ten all time best posts!

We were having a browse through the archives and loved reading the posts that stirred the most interest! Revisit the top 10 writings that most tickled your fancy…

1) A little bit of French ooh-la-la! Read all about Margaine-Lacroix and the dresses that shocked Paris

2)  Vogue cover stars at Chelsea Library. The Shrimp, Twiggy, La Moss and Naomi Campbell all graced the cover of Chelsea Library’s Vogue magazine collection

Kate Moss, Vogue, 2012

3) The clothes of a Dandy are simple but impeccably cut…Learn more in  The history behind Mr Darcy’s wardrobe

4) A celebration of all things sporty, including Agnes Beckwith, The Greatest Lady Swimmer in the World. Sport and fashion

5) Do you find your children need to be coaxed into drinking their cocktails? Here’s the answer: Modern Publicity – cigarettes and alcohol

6) All things knitting! Did you know men are doing it too?! Knitting: the beautiful game.

Edward Llwyd of Bala, photgraphed around 1875, believed to be one of the last of the local stocking-knitters

7) It might sound like a leg-pull, but you do realise that the library that you visit is haunted, don’t you? No? Then read on…Haunted Libraries

8) The first ever Brompton Blog! Meet all the Brompton bloggers in The Brompton Blog- September 2012

9) Patrick Leigh Fermor was a young man of 17 when he decided to walk, in 1933, from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople. Read about his journey in The Broken Road by Patrick Leigh Fermor, The Long- Awaited Third Volume

10) Winter Kimonos: beautiful images from beautiful books in Chelsea’s costume and fashion collection

Kimono by Issey Miyake

We’ve covered everything from swimming costumes to kimonos, books to ghosts, in our blog, and there’s plenty more where that comes from…what would you like to see in your local library blog next?

 

Advertisement

Modern Publicity – cigarettes and alcohol

Debby Wale, one of our Triborough Reference Librarians has been looking through our reference store at Kensington Central Library and she’s found some interesting adverts.

Greys cigarettes advert

This advertisement is from Modern Publicity 1937-38. Modern Publicity was an annual publication that ran from 1930 to 1984  (it was renamed the World Advertising Review in the 1980s). It was published by The Studio group and covered posters, printed material, packaging and trade marks from around the world.

These annuals belong to the reference library at Kensington Central Library – they’re certainly worth a look!

 

I felt as if my children were slipping away from me…

‘Oh, children, you’re surely not going out? Why, I’ve just put out the cocktails and cigarettes!

‘Sorry, Mater, but we promised to go round to the Blenkinsops’

 ‘Phil and Gwen never stay at home now. What’s wrong with us?’

‘Frankly I’m both puzzled and worried. Why not consult Aunt Lydia?’

Next day

‘My dear it’s all a question of what cigarettes you give them. What they’re suffering from is smoke-dyspepsia. Give them Greys and it will all be different.’

A few days later

‘Oh Mum, it’s lovely having a quiet cocktail at home with GREYS!’

‘These topping Greys are the making of  your cocktail parties, Mrs Schofield!’

 And what about you?

Are you, like Mrs Schofield in danger of losing touch with your children? The best of parents are apt to forget that children need to be coaxed into taking their cocktails. For this purpose there is nothing to equal Greys. These specially prepared cigarettes are invaluable for preventing smoke-d. And if you don’t believe this – well, what on earth will you believe?

In the immortal words of Victor Meldrew… I don’t believe it! Advertising standards certainly have improved since 1937.

 My favourite ad of all time…

Smirnoff Vodka advert

This amazing advert is in the volume published in 1983.

‘I was the mainstay of the Public Library until I discovered Smirnoff ’

Cheers!

Debby Wale

Debby Wale, Triborough Reference Librarian

Chelsea Library