Advertisement for Copland & Lye's department store in Glasgow University Magazine, December 1945.
With the end of the Second World War in 1945, there was a great desire among soldiers and their families for a quick return to normal civilian life. However, by the end of the year many thousands of men were still serving in the armed forces abroad while awaiting demobilisation. This advertisement refers to the problem in a light-hearted manner. The poem articulates the wishes of the ordinary serviceman to get back to "civvy street" and put on his bowler hat once more.
Although the Advertisement makes light of the difficulties they became even more serious in 1946, with vociferous protests, calculated acts of disobedience and even strikes among frustrated servicemen stationed in Egypt and India.
Reference: Glasgow University Archive Services, DC198/1/44
Glasgow University Archive Services
Keywords:
advertisements, cartoons, Copland & Lye, demobilisation, department store, department stores, doggerel, drapers, Glasgow University Magazine, GUM, outfitters, poems, poetry, Second World War, University of Glasgow