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One sheet 1930s travel poster, titled
"J.B. Priestley's England," was commissioned by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) to capitalize on the massive success of J.B. Priestley’s 1929 novel, The Good Companions.
Key Details of the Poster
Artist: Designed by the legendary poster artist Austin Cooper (though some sources occasionally misattribute it to Tom Purvis due to his prolific LNER work).
Date: Published in autumn 1930.
Concept: It serves as a "shrewd example of cross-marketing," using a stylized map to show the various English locations visited by the characters in the novel.
The Characters: The silhouetted figures at the bottom represent "The Good Companions," a traveling concert party (originally the "Dinky Doos") that features prominently in the book.
Cultural Context
The Novel: The Good Companions was a "golden gusher" for Priestley, selling thousands of copies daily during the 1929 Christmas season and remaining popular for decades.
The Slogan: The phrase "We carried the Good Companions, now let us carry you" directly linked the fictional journey of the characters with the real-world rail services provided by LNER.
The Map: The map highlights fictional and real locations from the book, such as Bruddersford (based on Priestley's native Bradford), York, and Ely. |
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