Continuing my occasional series on how election leaflets used to look, this one is a Labour freepost election address from the 1955 general election in Clapham constituency.
The front of the leaflet is a design unlikely to be used today:
Dated too is the right-hand side of the inside, with its appeal from the candidate’s wife to female voters – a common tactic at the time. Despite the old-fashioned typography, the layout is clear and easy to read thanks to the good use of white space and strong headings – a lesson that many modern literature writers forget. Note also the talk of having helped 3,000 people as an MP over the previous five years – a fraction of what many MPs now do.
The back of the leaflet contains a reminder of the task that used to take up large amounts of time for political helpers – handwriting the name and address on election freepost leaflets.
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One Comment
And Mr Gibson held the seat in 1955, only to lose it in 1959, beaten by a Tory whose name rings no bells for me, who was in turn beaten in 64 by a Labour candidate of whom I had never heard. Just goes to show how historically anonymous many MPs are. I wonder what Mr Gibson did during World War One? His CV on the leaflet makes no mention of those years, making me wonder if he might not have been a conscientious objector? Who knows.