Random Ads - Horlicks, Instant Postum and Knight's Soap (1930's)

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In the 1930's 'story' adverts were common. These 3 are typical of the genre. Someone has a problem, an authority figure (usually mother or wife) suggests a solution and everyone lives happily ever after. 

I've never heard of Instant Postum but the address to send for a free sample is the Grape-Nuts Company so maybe it was a by product of the manufacture of the then popular Grape-Nuts breakfast cereal. Or its packaging.

Random Cuttings - Mussolini resigns and Italy Surrenders (1943)

26th July 1943

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9th September 1943

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Benito Mussolini had been politically insecure since the war in North Africa had started to turn against the Axis powers in late 1942. Unrest at home with strikes, inflated food prices and an unwelcome German army presence along with the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 led to the Dictator 'resigning' i.e. being called to the King's palace and told he was being replaced and then arrested. 

Mussolini's replacement, Marshal Pietro Bagdoglio negotiated an armistice with the Allies and the surrender was announced on the 8th September, the day Allied troops landed on mainland Italy. The Italian government declared War on Germany on the 13th but the Italian Army didn't actually fight the Germans who were still occuping a large part of the country. It took the Allies until April 1945 to clear the Germans out.

Charles and Di Wed (1981)

Daily Mirror dated Thursday July 30th 1981

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A fairytale wedding with an unhappy ending. The couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. Diana was killed in a car-crash in 1997 and Charles re-married in 2005. 

Random Ad - Danderine (1910)

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Thank goodness for Danderine. It 'Grows Hair'. Without it hair wouldn't grow. We'd all look like Wayne Rooney. But with it we can look like some side-show freakish Rapunzel.

Random Cutting - Doris Stokes (1986)

April 1986

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Grantham born Doris Stokes was psychic medium who was strongly criticised and accused of fraud. Long before Derek Acorah and Colin Fry were filling theaters Doris sold out the London Palladium. She died of a brain tumour in 1987

Far East Crisis send Ike Home (1958)

Daily Express dated Thursday September 11th 1958

In January 1955, the U.S. Congress passed the “Formosa Resolution,” which gave President Eisenhower total authority to defend Formosa (now Taiwan) and the off-shore islands of Quemoy and Mazu. The Eisenhower Administration considered many options, ranging from convincing Chiang Kai-Shek to give up the islands to employing nuclear weapons against the People’s Republic of China. Luckily for World Peace and probably due to Russian pressure, China backed down and stopped bombing the disputed Island in the Formosa Straits. 

In 1958 the bombing resumed and President Eisenhower was concerned that the loss of the islands would hurt Nationalist morale and might be a precursor to the Communist conquest of Formosa. The United States thus arranged to re-supply the Republic of China garrisons on Quemoy and Mazu. This brought an abrupt end to the bombardment and eased the crisis. Eventually, the Communist and Nationalist Chinese came to an arrangement in which they shelled each other’s garrisons on alternate days. This continued for twenty years.

See also this post and this post.

Random Ad - White Lead Paint (1950's)

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An 1950's advert for White Lead Paint. This stuff was poisonious. The lead content, which in the 1950's could well be 50%, could cause damage to the nervous system, kidneys, normal development in children and fertility in adults. It is also carcinogenic. It was banned from paints intended for domestic use in 1978 in the USA and 1992 in the UK.