How political leaflets used to look: a 1960s Saturday election
Welcome this time to a Liberal Party leaflet from 1966, one which – as the foot of the front page highlights – is also a reminder that elections are not always on a Thursday. These days, exceptions to the Thursday tradition are very rare and restricted to the occasional council by-election. But for a long period, even as general elections had standardised on Thursdays, many regular local council elections took place on Saturdays.
Also of note as a sign of changing times is the story at the bottom of page 3. The right of the public and the press to attend council meetings was a long-fought for right, one in which Margaret Thatcher was on the liberal side.
For more gems from past election leaflets, see my collection How leaflets used to look.
Mark I recently posted on my face book a photo of an old LIBERAL poster. It simply said
Show’em you CARE !
VOTE LIBERAL.
Not sure the date of the poster but looking at the leaflet it has same sort of message so I guess round 1964/66 vintage.
Think may be a lesson for lots of folk with the slogan. Simple straightforward and to the point. No personality politics in sight.
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This is where I lived as a teenager and I could say quite a lot about it. Brian is probably in the right ballpark over the date, I’d suggest possibly more like 1967 ?
Wow, an area I know well!
Fun read in that the flooding issue on Bramhall Moor Lane was apparent in 1966. Fast forward to now and the newly built bypass there is subject to regular flooding.
Surprised the leaflet doesn’t mention the area had elected, just a few weeks before, Michael Winstanley as their Liberal MP.
If anyone’s interested, they can e-mail me to buy one of my ‘The Liberals in Hampshire, a part(l)y history’ books, which include reproductions of political leaflets and election addresses from that time, taken from my files. I only have a handful of copies left and am not planning a reprint, but am happy to post orders. Part 1 covers 1958-65 and is £5 and Part 2, 1965-72, £6, plus postage.
Remember professionally printed ones in Wolverhampton. Afyrt yer of us produced a local ward thing called Park News. I reckon it was an early Focus.