Catalogue Number
NBS I/D 170
Object Name
banner
Title
BETHNAL GREEN MIXED CO-OPERATIVE GUILD PEACE PROGRESS COMMERCE UNITY INDUSTRY ART
Place
Bethnal Green & London & England & UK
People
women
Date
c.1930
Creator(s)
NBS National Museum of Labour HistoryNBS National Museum of Labour History
Description
The Bethnal Green branch formed in about 1928/29 and the banner probably dates from the 1930s. It was presented to the Bethnal Green branch by the Political Committee of the London Co-operative Society.
Various traditional symbols are used in the design to signify values upheld by the Co-operative Movement. These include the dove of PEACE, a galleon ship in full sail to portray PROSPERITY through commerce and, to represent PROGRESS, a radio or wireless as they were first known.
References to the 'wireless' and 'tapping the ether' relate to early radio communication and the air waves. The radio was seen as progressive and something that would not go out of date. The designer clearly did not forsee the recent technological leaps that have been made with digital radio and TV.
The green colour and shamrock leaf outline may have been used to reflect and identify with the Irish Catholic population of Bethnal Green when the banner was made.
Materials: made of emerald green silk and lined with yellow cotton sateen. The design is hand painted in oil-based paint, though the gold areas are probably gold-leaf.
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