Portland Square Shelter Poster Update – June 2007

Within a few days of the (Stop Press – January 2007) article going live Ben Haines of Chicago, e-mailed Tony with a source for the original poster, namely the Wellcome Trust Medical Photographic Library. (This was somewhat remarkable for us as it was the first time that he’d ever visited Cyberheritage!)

This breakthrough was wonderful news and Tony accordingly contacted the Wellcome Library to purchase a high-resolution coloured copy of the catalogued low-resolution black and white image shown on their web-site; at the same time he requested permission for it to be posted on the Cyberheritage web-site. This could have been possible but as there would have been various financial implications which went against the ethos of the site provision the idea was decided against.

Instead, the poster has been recreated using Adobe Reader, Microsoft Excel, Paint Shop Pro, transparencies and fibre-tipped pens!!  Not perfect, but a reasonable reproduction – surely good enough to jog peoples memories?!

Enter poster picture? CLICK HERE TO SEE THE POSTER, IT IS A PDF FILE 

In the original article questions were posed:- “Was this a poster, stencil or transfer?  Does 65 years underground turn a poster into a stencil/transfer?!”  Apparently it is highly likely that an original paper poster would, by chemical processing with age and damp, effectively disappear leaving the original inks deposited on the wall.  The same argument, of course, would have applied to the Smoking Strictly Prohibited sign which we know was printed by Underhill’s, a well-known Plymouth firm.

Needless to say, if anyone’s memories have been jogged we would be delighted to hear from them.

Indeed, as was written before, any snippets of information regarding Portland Square would be much appreciated – it is guaranteed that each and every mailer will receive a prompt response.

Footnote: The Memorial, although having been delayed for a multitude of reasons, is now destined to be unveiled in April 2008, on the 67th anniversary of the tragedy.

Contact Tony Rees: R.A.Rees@plymouth.ac.uk

 

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