Letter to R.L. Sunderland Esq, Halifax from R.C. Sissons relating to the Hall's Distemper Field Signs

Reference No:
C DBSS/2/6/35
Dates:
31 Jul 1974
Description:
Mr Sunderland had one of the Hall's Distemper Field signs and this letter outlines the history of them. The field signs were an early example of product branding and nationwide advertising. The advertising agents that first designed the 'Men and Plank' trade mark were a firm called T.B. Browne with offices in Piccadily, London, just after the turn of the 20th century (c. 1910). 99 metal field signs were placed in the countryside at various spots in fields beside the railways. In order not to lose them out of sight too quickly from the window of the fast running trains, they had to be placed at quite a distance from the railroad track and the figures accordingly had to be given a conspicuous height of 3.65 m (12ft), twice the height of an average person. The actual field signs were maintained by a firm of Leeds advertising contractors by the name of Jowett. The proprietor was a keen musician and played the piano beautifully but, tragically, he damaged the tendons of his hands and became no longer able to play. He had tried to service and handle the field signs himself during the Second World War, when he could obtain no labour. The same firm handled Carters Little Liver Pills, whose signs nearly always appeared in the same fields as those of Hall's Distemper. On the main lines these showed the distance to London. The erection on new sites beside the railways became prohibited by post war Town & Country Planning legislation of 1947 though existing ones were allowed to remain. The field signs were complemented by enamelled metal advertisements, showing the men and plank in the foreground with a field and a large white house in the background. These were fixed on the platform walls or fencing of nearly all the main-line railway stations in the country. Enamel plates preceded the modern poster. Their use was discontinued by the company sometime between the wars in favour of expenditure on national press advertising in such magazines as Punch and Illustrated London News. As Hall's Distemper became an outdated product, the writing on the plank of the field signs was changed to 'Sissons Paints' and eventually they were discontinued altogether
Format:
Archive Item
Extent:
1 item
Access Conditions:
Access will be granted to any accredited reader
Repository:
Hull City Archives
Collection:
Records relating to Sissons Brothers & Co. Ltd.