1951 Collection

Rollercoaster
Riders on the Scenic Railway rollercoaster at Dreamland in Margate, Kent

Ivor Novello / Profile
IVOR NOVELLO (Ivor Davies) Welsh actor of stage and screen, playwright and composer

Parade at Cleethorpes
The parade at Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire, packed with parked cars and people making the most of a summer stroll along the sea front, perhaps to visit the big wheel or pier Date: 1951

Reagan Chesterfield Ad
RONALD REAGAN 40th American President (1981-89), seen here as a popular actor of the early 1950s in a cigarette advert Date: circa 1951

Spanish Grand Prix poster
Poster for the Spanish Grand Prix of the 28th October 1951, held at the Pedralbes Circuit near Barcelona, Catalonia. The race was won by the legendary Juan Manual Fangio in an Alfa Romeo

Festival of Britain View
Aerial view of the exhibition site of the 1951 Festival of Britain on Londons South Bank showing the Dome of Discovery, The Skylon and other pavilions

Advertisement for Triumph Renown motor car
Advertisement for the Triumph Renown motor car -- all thats best in Britain. Featuring a traditional cricket match on a village green on a sunny Saturday afternoon. 1951

Living Room, Sherlock Holmes Exhibition, London
Living Room of 221B Baker Street, part of a Sherlock Holmes Exhibition, London, reconstructed by Michael Weight. Details included are Holmess pipe and his violin. Date: 1951

Goblin Market by Pauline Baynes
Illustration by Pauline Baynes depicting a scene from Goblin Market, the poem by Christina Rossetti, where a terrifying crowd of assorted goblins plying a girl with ripe fruit in return for a lock of

MG TD britain British

Chinese Communist Propaganda Poster, Chairman Mao
Chinese Communist Party Propaganda Poster, Chairman Mao Zedong. 1951

Festival of Britain 1951 - The Skylon, South Bank, London. Designed by Hidalgo Moya, Philip Powell and Felix Samuely, and fabricated by Painter Brothers of Hereford, England Date: 1951

MG TD britain British

The Illustrated London News Festival of Britain issue
The Festival of Britain exhibition opening, a special number from The Illustrated London News. The front cover was created by Terence Cuneo 1907-1996

Tourist map of Bergen, Norway
Tourist map (TKT - Turisttrafikkomiteen) of Bergen, Hordaland County, Norway. Date: 1951

Mossadeq 1951 Man of Year, from Time 1952. Mohammad Mosaddegh (19 May 1882 - 5 March 1967) Prime Minister of Iran from 1951 to 1953 when he was overthrown in a coup d etat backed by the United States

Festival of Britain
The brand new Royal Festival Hall and South Bank Exhibition with the Dome of Discovery on the right, seen from across the river Thames

Tour De France, August 1951
18th August 1951: A group of contestants racing in the Tour de France. Original Publication: Picture Post - 5381 - The Greatest Show On Earth - pub

Salvador Dali
This photograph of Salvador Dali (1904-1989)was taken at his home at Port Lligat, at the foot of the Spanish Pyrenees, where the surrealist artist spent three months of the year

Folklore / Yetis
Photograph of an unidentified footprint, taken by Eric Shipton and Michael Ward as they returned from the Himalayas

Trusthorpe Sands, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire
Trusthorpe Sands, Mablethorpe, near Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire, England. Date: 1951

Studebaker Commander

Cheltenham Spa (St James), 1951
A view of Cheltenham Spa St James station, in Gloucestershire, 1951, decorated with bunting to celebrate the Cheltenham Music Festival

MOORE: RECLINING FIGURE. Draped Reclining Figure. Aquatint and engraving by Henry Moore, 1951

Pifco electric vibratory massager
Beauty that is yours sincerely: 1950s electric vibratory massager, claiming to help you keep slim and trim, promotes a healthy scalp, affords relief for tired feet and many muscular aches and pains

Living Room, Sherlock Holmes Exhibition, London
Living Room of 221B Baker Street, part of a Sherlock Holmes Exhibition, London, reconstructed by Michael Weight. A dummy version of the man himself can be seen in the far window. Date: 1951

Brockhall Hospital, Langho, near Blackburn, Lancashire
Aerial view of Brockhall Hospital at Langho, near Blackburn, Lancashire, established in 1904 by the Lancashire Inebriates Acts Board as an inebriate reformatory for women

Frost Fair on the Thames by Pauline Baynes
Illustration painted for Holly Leaves by Pauline Baynes showing Londoners in 1683-4 enjoying the delights of the Frost Fair on the frozen River Thames

Brown Bear riding a motorcycle at the Bertram Mills Circus
Photograph showing a large brown bear riding a motorcycle during a performance of the Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia in December 1951. That year was the Silver Jubilee of the Mills Circus at Olympia

River Clyde, shipbuilding industry in Glasgow, Scotland. May 1951

Pampulha Church, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Church of St Francis of Assisi at Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer in the organic modern style

Major Frank Bernard Halford CBE FRAeS (1894-1955)
Major Frank Bernard Halford, CBE, FRAeS, 1894-1955, President of the Royal Aeronautical Society 1951 to 1952, in front of the prototype de Havilland Comet airliner. Date: 1955

English Electric Canberra B2 WD932
English Electric Canberra B2, WD932, was demonstrated at Martin Airport to 20, 000 employees of Martin and their families and civic and business leaders of Maryland and Baltimore. 11 March 1951

Winston Churchill entering No 10 Downing St by David Wright
Painting by David Wright showing Prime Minister Winston Churchill entering No. 10 Downing Street after winning the General Election in 1951

Advertisement for Jaeger in Festival of Britain Year, showing two women wearing classic fashions. Date: 1951

CAMEL CIGARETTE AD, 1951. Actress Joan Crawford endorsing Camel cigarettes. American magazine advertisement, 1951

Harley Davidson Captain

Union Castle Brochure
Union-Castle Line, sailing to South Africa, West and East Africa

Bayreuth 1951
A minimalist production at the Buhnenfestspiele, Bayreuth 1951 - Brunnhilde confronts Wotan in the middle of nowhere

Madeira, Winter 1951-1952
Brochure front cover advertising Thomas Cooks travel service. Date: 1951-1952

Lion & Unicorn Pavilion
The Lion and Unicorn Pavilion at the South Bank Exhibition, containing exhibits on the use of the English language, growth of British parliamentary government, etc

Christmas Dream
Illustration from a 1951 issue of the ILN, showing a Madonna & Child in front of a Christmas tree being decorated by angels

Royal Festival Hall 1951
The newly built Royal Festival Hall at the South Bank in London

Festival of Britain
Night scene showing the illuminated exhibition site of the 1951 Festival Britain on Londons South Bank with the Skylon glowing in the dark and the Dome of Discovery visible

Clement Davies (1884-1962) English politician and leader of the Liberal Party from 1945-1956, seen here at the Liberal Election press conference on the 3rd October 1951

Dome & Skylon 1951
Visitors outside the Dome of Discovery and the Skylon, both famous attractions of the Festival of Britain exhibition, South Bank, London

Continental Boat Express
The (rear of) the double-headed Continental Boat Express train at Folkestone, Kent, England, the Southern terminal for the short sea route to Boulogne and Calais, France

Victor Stiebel Suit
A town suit in charcoal grey flannel with velvet collar by Victor Stiebel for Jacqmar. Jacket fastens diagonally, basque curves over the hips

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Step back in time to the year 1951, where a parade at Cleethorpes brought joy and excitement to the streets. Meanwhile, an advertisement for the Triumph Renown motor car showcased elegance and sophistication on four wheels. In another corner of advertising, Reagan Chesterfield enticed smokers with their smooth cigarettes. The Festival of Britain was a spectacle to behold, offering breathtaking views from its South Bank location in London. The iconic Skylon stood tall as a symbol of progress and innovation during this grand event. Visitors were transported into fantastical realms through Pauline Baynes' enchanting illustrations in Goblin Market. Amidst political turmoil, Chairman Mao's Chinese Communist Propaganda Poster captured attention and stirred emotions around the world. Yet within the comfort of a living room at the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition in London, visitors delved into mysteries alongside literature's greatest detective. Sports enthusiasts eagerly awaited the Spanish Grand Prix as depicted on an eye-catching poster that promised thrilling races and fierce competition. And what better way to explore British roads than behind the wheel of an MG TD? This classic British car embodied style and adventure. As we reflect on 1951, we are reminded of how artistry merged with history during the Festival of Britain – a celebration that left an indelible mark on culture and design alike.