1940s Collection

Holland House library after an air raid BB83_04456
HOLLAND HOUSE, Kensington, London. An interior view of the bombed library at Holland House with readers apparently choosing books regardless of the damage. Photographed in 1940

Red army soldiers raising the soviet flag over the reichstag in berlin, germany, april 30, 1945, photo taken by vladimir grebnev

Swindon Works Map, c. 1940s
Swindon Works Map, c.1940s, showing the growth of the GWR Works in Swindon between 1846 and the 1940s. The sheer volume of workshops and sidings can be seen in fascinating detail

Whisky Galore! (1949) UK quad poster
Designed by Tom Eckersley for Alexander MacKendricks Scottish comedy featuring Basil Radford and Joan Greenwood

Orson Welles as Harry Lime in The Third Man
Orson Welles in The Third Man

Brighton Rock (1947) UK One Sheet
Richard Attenborough as Pinkie Brown in the poster for Brighton Rock

Kind Hearts And Coronets
EMI re-release poster artwork for the classic Ealing Comedy with Dennis Price

A Scene from the The Third Man (1949)
Joseph Cotten in front of the Ferris Wheel in Vienna

Weston-super-Mare, BR poster, 1948-1965
The Smile in Smiling Somerset. Poster produced by British Railways (BR) to promote train services to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. Artwork by an unknown artist

Ernest Hemingway Fishing
Sun Valley, Idaho: 1939 Author Ernest Hemingway holding two trout he has caught

Toby Twirl Adventures 1949 1940s UK mcitnt childrens storys adventures childrens
Toby Twirl Adventures 1949 1940s UK mcitnt childrenÕs storys adventures childrens adventure

Mass spectrometer, 1954
Mass spectrometer. Researchers adjusting the controls of a mass spectrometer. This is an all-metal demountable mass spectrometer

Birmingham Snow Hill Station, c. 1940s
A view of Birmingham Snow Hill station, c.1940s, showing platform No.8 and a few passengers strolling along

Lovers in Hyde Park May 1947 love couple romance romantic for valentines day be my valentine

Joan Greenwood in Robert Hamers Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949)
Joan Greenwood as Sibella sits in a carriage outside the prison where Louis (Dennis Price) awaits his fate

LONDON: UNDERGROUND, 1944. Please stand on the right of the escalator. Poster by Fougasse promoting proper etiquette on the London Underground, 1944

GWR Publicity Poster, London, 1946
The poster was produced by the GWR just after the Second World War. It was designed by Frank Henry Mason. The huge dome of St Pauls Cathedral dominates the skyline

A view of the river Thames from Richmond Bridge, London, England, with a pleasure boat full of passengers just about to pass underneath. Late 1940s, early 1950s

Firefighters standing by during the Blitz, London in WWII LFB150
Firefighters standing by during the Blitz, London -- in the early hours of the morning, after a night of bombing

Bomb damage in Brampton Road, Bexleyheath, WW2
Panoramic view of extensive bomb damage in Brampton Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, 14 November 1944, with ambulances ready to remove casualties from the scene

Whisky Galore

California: US Battleships at anchor, Long Beach (photo)
5995752 California: US Battleships at anchor, Long Beach (photo) by American Photographer (19th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: US Battleships at anchor, Long Beach)

Holiday Haunts guide book, 1947
A 1947 edition of the popular Holiday Haunts guide books published by the GWR. A glamorous blonde poses in a white two-part swimming costume in front of a lively beach scene

WWII: POSTER, c1943. Attack with me says Potato Pete. Lithograph, c1943

A swarm of bees which settled at the foot of a pole on a bomb site in Victoria Street caused a large crowd to collect as PC Marshall, of Scotland Yard

A chef at work in a London kitchen. 1947

Kings Square ( Market Place ) Enfield Town, London, with the Kings Head Public House and St Andrews Parish Church at the back. Late 1940s, early 1950s

The London Blitz An ARP warden rescues a young girl from the wreckage of a building bombed by Germany. V1 attack Buckingham Gate, Victoria

Penzance Station, Cornwall, c. 1940
A view of Penzance station, Cornwall, c.1940, showing Castle Class locomotive No. 5024, Carew Castle, sitting at the platform with the town of Penzance visible in the background

Dewey Defeats Truman Newspaper
St. Louis, MIssouri: November, 1948. President Harry Truman holds up a copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune declaring his defeat to Thomas Dewey in the presidential election

Bomb damage in Kilgour Road, SE London, WW2
Panoramic view of bomb damage in Kilgour Road, SE London, 18 November 1944. Rubble and debris can be seen on both sides of the road

Bomb damage and crater, Petherton Road, London, WW2
Panoramic view of extensive bomb damage and a crater in Petherton Road, North London, 2 July 1944. A salvage operation took place, pumping out flooded basements

A montage for Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949)
featuring the eight characterrs played by Alec Guinness in the Robert Hamer black comedy

A production still image from Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949)
Joan Greenwood as Sibella and Dennis Price as Louis, Duke of Chalfont, in Robert Hamers Kind Hearts and Coronets

The Third Man
Shadows of The Third Man

The Third Man
Anton Karas playing the soundtrack to The Third Man at Shepperton Studios

Colour lobby card for Brighton Rock (1947)
Hermione Baddeley and George Carney in a front of the house image for the UK release of John Boultings Brighton Rock in 1947

A still image from Brighton Rock (1947)
Richard Attenborough as Pinkie, the gangster and Carol Marsh as Rose in John Boultings Brighton Rock (1947)based on Graham Greenes novel

Vera Lynn 1947
Singer Vera Lynn, The Forces Sweetheart in 1947

The launch of HMS Eagle aircraft carrier
Launch of HMS Eagle, Royal Naval aircraft carrier by Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) in Belfast, 1946

LONDON: UNDERGROUND, 1944. The more we are together, the more uncomfortable we ll be - please pass along the platform. Poster by Fougasse promoting proper etiquette on the London Underground, 1944

White leghorn chicken
UNITED STATES - CIRCA 1940s: White leghorn chicken standing next to egg. (Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts/Retrofile/Getty Images)

British Army Captain Chris Goddard, left, and Cpl Gary Fisher check out the Second World War German bomb they had just made safe on a building site beside Tower Bridge, London

Sheep Hatch Camp Schools - 5 October 1945
View of wooden buildings with large grass area in front George Garland Collection West Sussex Record Office Ref. No. N25498

Ballerina Margot Fonteyn
New York, New York: September 15, 1950 Ballerina Margot Fonteyn in a production of Swan Lake

Stalin in 1949

Blitz in London -- ambulance at Ladywell, Lewisham, WW2
Blitz in London -- an ambulance and rescue workers in the Ladywell area of Lewisham, SE13, where houses were demolished by a parachute bomb, 18 September 1940

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Step back in time to the 1940s, a decade filled with resilience, creativity, and historical significance. In Holland House library after an air raid BB83_04456, the aftermath of war is evident as books lay scattered amidst the destruction. Swindon Works Map from the c. 1940s showcases the industrial prowess that fueled wartime efforts. A powerful image captures Red Army soldiers raising the Soviet flag over the Reichstag in Berlin on April 30, 1945. Vladimir Grebnev's photograph immortalizes this triumphant moment in history. The poster for Weston-super-Mare transports us to a seaside town post-war, enticing visitors with promises of sun-soaked relaxation and rejuvenation between 1948-1965. Toby Twirl Adventures takes young readers on thrilling journeys through enchanting tales set in 1940s UK. These children's stories captivate imaginations and provide an escape from reality. Kind Hearts And Coronets entertains audiences with its dark humor and captivating storyline during this era. This British film remains a classic even today. Whisky Galore. Entices viewers with its UK quad poster showcasing mischief and adventure surrounding whiskey shortages during World War II – a lighthearted take on challenging times. Orson Welles mesmerizes as Harry Lime in The Third Man – his enigmatic portrayal leaves audiences spellbound while exploring post-war Vienna's shadows. Brighton Rock (1947) UK One Sheet immerses viewers into a gripping crime drama set against Brighton's backdrop – capturing both gritty realism and atmospheric charm simultaneously. Bomb damage in Brampton Road reminds us of the devastating impact of war on local communities across Britain during WW2 - scars that would heal but never be forgotten by those who lived through it. "Tittle Tattle Lost the Battle" warns against careless talk during World War II - highlighting how loose lips can jeopardize national security and endanger lives when secrets are at stake.