Keep Calm And Whatever…

Pre-war Britain, a nation in the shadow of conflict with people expecting the worst, bracing themselves for whatever fate and Mr. Hitler had in store for them.

“Don’t panic Mr. Mainwairing. Don’t panic! ”

Indeed… KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.

Those five bloody words and their derivatives are everywhere aren’t they? All part of this terrible nostalgic, pink and duck egg blue shabby chic that’s everywhere. Yes, everywhere and on everything - posters, mugs, key rings, underpants and any number of other products; the words themselves seem to call out from a world of rationing, doodlebugs, and the home guard. “Keep Calm And Carry On.” It’s easy to imagine a wartime Britain where this iconic phrase was firmly displayed on every street corner. After all, the government, specifically the Ministry of Information, printed over 2.5 million copies. In truth though not a single citizen ever saw the slogan, let alone gained any strength or encouragement from it.

“Keep Calm And Carry On” was the third poster in a series of three. The first being "Freedom Is In Peril. Defend It With All Your Might" with 400,000 printed and the second "Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory" with a print run of 800,000. The idea behind the posters was to maintain morale during the first few weeks of the war.

By the outbreak of war the first two posters were posted on public transport, in shop windows, upon notice boards and hoardings, whilst ‘Stay Calm’ languished in a ministry warehouse waiting on the invasion of Britain by Germany. The years passed, stack upon stack of posters gathering dust waiting for an invasion that never came. Finally, when the war ended in 1945, they were reduced to pulp and destroyed.

Then, 55 years later in 2000 a bookseller, Stuart Manley, from Alnwick in Northumberland came across a copy of the poster in a box of second-hand books he had bought at auction. Stuart’s wife was so taken with the poster that she put it up by the till. Soon customers were asking to buy copies and, as Crown Copyright expires on government works after 50 years, the Manley’s began selling reproductions. Sales remained modest at Barter Books until 2005, when it was featured as a Christmas gift idea in a national newspaper supplement. Today the lucky buggers get an average of 1,000 orders a month from all around the world. With another stroke of lucky buggery on an episode of the BBC's Antiques Roadshow a further 15 were discovered. They were valued at £1,000 each. Kerching!

Today, after only 12 years, the bloody phrase is everywhere – “Keep Calm And Drink Tea/Beer/Champagne”, “Keep Calm And Play Golf”, “Keep Calm And Go Shopping”, “Keep Calm And Walk Your Dog”, even - "Now Panic and Freak Out".

It seems to be the most popular phrase since “They don’t like it up ‘em.” With an almost zen-like simplicity and all very British stiff upper lip, it suits this oh-so-very uncertain world. It sells well in doctors' surgeries, hospitals, schools and government departments and its simple message speaks directly to peoples' personal neuroses. It's not ideological, it's not urging people to fight for freedom - it’s about tea, and routine, and continuing to do what you always do.

 In short, it’s comforting and we all need a little comfort sometimes. I just wish the shabby chicers would leave it alone – it was never meant to be pretty or pink.