History

How political leaflets used to look: when gramophones were played in Nottingham, 1929

Today’s selection from the archives is a pair of one sided flyers advertising public meetings in support of the 1929 Liberal campaign in Nottingham Central (click on the images for larger versions):

Nottingham Central Liberal leaflets 1929

Note the reference to gramophone records on the first one. In a world before widespread broadcast media, let alone the internet, the circulation of speeches on gramophone records had become a significant part of how politicians got their words heard around the country.

Rather like the use of chalk graffiti in the previous century, however, most of how they were used has disappeared through the cracks of history. How many people heard such records, which were the most popular, when did they get played during meetings and so on – only a few clues are left behind about all these sorts of details.

Note also that one of those considered important enough to include and mention is Margaret Wintringham, the forgotten Liberal pioneer.

This was the last of Arthur Brampton’s four attempts to stand for Parliament (in Birmingham and Nottingham). He was, however, a significant figure in the party being Chairman and then President of the National Liberal Federation in 1920-33.

For more gems from past election leaflets, see my collection How leaflets used to look.

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