Catalogue Number
NMLH.2022.318
Object Name
Postcard
Date
1984
Description
Postcard of a political cartoon. There is an illustration of two figures; one is a man with long hair, star sunglasses, peace symbol earrings, smoking a cigar, There is a woman behind him with a head band and a bell around her neck; the woman is supposed to be Margaret Thatcher. There is text across the postcard saying "Don't let this happen. Abolish Peace Studies Now!." The reverse of this postcard reads "Maggie's farm: no.5 of a set by Steve Bell. First appeared in City Limits 1984." Maggie's Farm is a song by Bob Dylan, released in 1965 about oppression, bad working conditions, and conformity. In the 1980s - In 1980, The Blues Band recorded a version as a commentary on then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's government. The line, "The National Guard stands around the door" being replaced with a line about the Special Patrol Group (SPG), the controversial unit of the London Metropolitan Police then being used to quell protests. The 2-Tone ska band The Specials also recorded a version, again relating to Margaret Thatcher, replacing the words "National Guard" with "National Front." Steven William Maclean Bell (born 26 February 1951) is an English political cartoonist, whose work appears in The Guardian and other publications. He is known for his left-wing views - he created a cartoon booklet named "Maggie's farm" which had satirical cartoonsabout Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet. Maggie's Farm ran in Time Out from May 1979, fortnightly at first and then weekly until April 1981. After the great Time Out strike it followed most of the staff to the new weekly City Limits from autumn 1981 until 1986, and then sporadically until 1987. The woman on the postcard is supposed to represent Thatcher - the man on the postcard could be an exaggerated satirical take on Keith Joseph. He was a member of the Conservative party, played a large role in Thatcherism, was the first to introduce the concept of the social market economy and wanted a system inspired by Christian Democracy. He was the education secretary.
