Greenock, Scotland: WW1 Propaganda Posters at the McLean Museum
PA16 8JX - The story of Thomas Thomson and his collection of 300 propaganda posters, collected from across the globe during World War One.
PA16 8JX - McLean Museum, Greenock
The McLean Museum in Greenock holds a collection of some three hundred World War One propaganda posters. This astonishing array was the result of one manβs efforts.
Thomas Thomson was the treasurer at the McLean Museum at the time of the conflict and itβs thanks to his collectorβs zeal that the collection exists. In addition, Thomson was tracking down the posters during hostilities.
βHe wrote to embassies and high commissions across the world for examples of their posters,β explains McLean Museum curator Valerie Boa. βNew Zealand, America and Canada were just a few of the countries he was in touch with. βI think he must have been compelled to have as a comprehensive collection as he could. Many collectors want to have every last piece, and I think perhaps this is what motivated him.β
βOf course we have examples of recruitment posters,β Valerie says, βBut there are other posters for example, exhorting the public to save food and be economical and posters encouraging saving and the purchase of war bonds to help the fighting.β
βIn fact the collection is so expansive that we have some of the only examples of certain countryβs propaganda posters. For example, recently weβve had requests for images of posters from New Zealandβs Te Papa Museum in Wellington- because they donβt have their own examples.β
A century on, the power of the propaganda posters remains undiminished.
βOver the thirty five years Iβve worked with them, the posters have made a great impression on me,β says Valerie. βThe images are really βburnedβ on my retinas. I can just summon up a particular poster when I think of it β they make such an impression on you.β
Images courtesy of The McLean Museum
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