Exhibition | 2022 Banner Exhibition

Banners are large and colourful representations of groundbreaking moments of protest and the people united by them.  Join a march through the history of rights and equality in PHM’s main galleries, discovering the memorable messages and motifs which make banners such a powerful tool in fighting for change.

The 2022 Banner Exhibition revamps a quarter of PHM’s main galleries. This year’s banners give a unique and distinctive insight into movements such as LGBT+ solidarity with the miners’ strike of 1984-85, artists campaigning for women’s rights in the early 20th century, and disabled people’s activism – the theme of our upcoming Nothing About Us Without Us programme.

Find out more about the banners with a guided tour of the 2022 Banner Exhibition from staff at People’s History Museum, including an expert from our Conservation Team on Saturday 30 April at 11.00am Booking required, limited places.

Family Friendly exhibition, suitable for all ages. 

Families! Collect your Banner Bingo activity from the Info Desk on arrival.

Please book to visit

Part of PHM’s co-curated programme of activity exploring the history of disabled people’s rights and activism.

Banners in Main Gallery One:

• Trades Union Congress Dorsetshire Labourers banner, 1934
• National Union of Agricultural Labourer and Rural Workers Mulbarton and District banner, 1910s
• District 3 Region 6 TGWU Textile Group banner, 1980s
• National Amalgamated Stevedores, Lightermen, Watermen and Dockers banner, 1920s
• The Journey We Made Across Land And Sea, To Build A Country Not Made For Me banner, 2021
• Ye Old Trafford Habitation banner, date unknown
• Carshalton Left Book Club banner, 1930s
• Letchworth Labour Party Headquarters banner, 1950s
• Suffrage Atelier banner, about 1910
• Wigan and District Cotton Operatives banner, around 1925
• Walthamstow and Chingford Solidarity Committee banner, 1934
• Kensington Young Communists Say Jobs Not Bombs banner, 1950s
• Printers Send Greetings to Bill Alexander banner, 1937

Banners in Main Gallery Two:

• Movement for Justice banner, 2010
• Homeless Action Campaign banner, 1940s
• Chile Solidarity Campaign banner, date unknown
• Withington Against the Poll Tax banner, 1990
• Nothing About Us Without Us banner , 2015
• European Nuclear Disarmament banner, 1980s
• Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners banner, 1985
• Bermondsey Men’s Co-operative Guild banner, 1930s
• Blackburn Youth Service girls’ group International Women’s Day banner, 1988
• Greenwich Homeworkers Project banner, 1988
• National Union of General Workers Bradford Branch banner, 1920s
• The Workers Union – Holloway Branch banner, 1920s
• Ancient Order of Foresters, Stockport Court, 1850s