"Established a picnic"
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THE EXHIBITION of London bus posters that closed at Foyle's on July 18 was much more than that. It was a microcosm of social history over the past 70 years or so. It recalled the days wnen cars were few and a bus trip to the country was an exciting, inexpensive event. Despite the lack of cornpetition the former London General Omnibus Co used great skill and artistry in selling its services.
A black and white poster of 1913 illustrated the way to get off a bus without falling flat on one's back. The must must indeed have been a novelty if such elementary instruction was necessary.
Over the years great emphasis was laid on services to the country. Paintings depicted Uxbridge and Chalfont St Peters before the developers got to work on them.
"Try a trip on route 84 St Albans daily from Golders Green" said an advertisement with, curiously, a picture of a B-type double-decker on route 14 from Hornsey to Putney. The errant 84 bus to St Albans turned up on an advertisement for Sunday service 1 16 from Stockwell to Merstham.
The urge to get away from bricks and mortar was also stimulated by a London Passenger Transport Board poster portraying four Greciantype beauties in idyllic surroundings with the quaint caption — surely a literal translation from the original Chinese? — "Establish a picnic and pass the day together."
The country was not, however, the sole attraction for Londoners. Beautiful paintings showed Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square in the days when the streets and the people were clean and the West End had an exclusive air. Theatregoers wore full evening dress but were apparently not too snobbish to go home in a hired coach. In sharp contrast were wartime morale-raising posters with the theme, "See it through." Splendid portraits of a bus driver and a conductress in smart uniforms were accompanied by eulogies by A. P. Herbert. Even so distinguished a writer would be hard pressed to repeat the performance with conviction today.