The timeless nature of the stylistic and predominantly textual design goes some way towards explaining this. So here we have a poster that was not even used for its original purpose during the war yet has seen mass popularity upon its rediscovery. This even led to a series of legal battles over copyright during 2011-13 (with UK courts concluding that the design was covered by Crown Copyright rules and was now firmly in the public domain). Other companies followed suit and versions of the “Keep Calm” message were soon being attached to a bewildering array of products. The Manleys decided to display the poster it in their shop and began to sell reproductions in 2001. It was found in 2000 within a box of books bought at auction by Stuart and Mary Manley, the owners of a second hand book shop in Alnwick, Northumberland.

This would all change when a dusty copy of the “Keep Calm” poster was re-discovered at the turn of the 21st century. Some of the posters had been distributed to police stations for safe-keeping and were accidentally overlooked, but even these remained hidden from view for more than 60 years. Only a handful of the originals survived when stocks were pulped during an extensive wartime recycling campaign. But its display was never officially authorised, and so never went ahead. It was designed to lead a series of three “Home Publicity” posters that would be issued in the event of war and 2.45 million copies were printed in the days before World War II was declared. The slogan was coined following a meeting between Ministry of Information officials and the Treasury on 27 June 1939. It also obscures the complicated history of a poster that was designed on this day 75 years ago, but surprisingly was not seen in public until very recently, in 2001. This pervasiveness has served to reinforce a popular view of life on the Home Front during World War II. Its formula is instantly recognisable, whether referring to zombies or knitting. An engraving shop on my daily commute even invokes its customers to “Keep Calm and Order Signage”. Its resilient message has become extraordinarily commonplace, with the phrase used to sell everything from mugs to flight bags and baby clothes. “Keep Calm and Carry On” is now one of the most recognisable slogans in British history.

Keep calm and carry on gun control