These three posters were used to persuade people that growing your own food was important for the war effort. Use the questions to examine them and explain your answers.
- Which posters show the benefits of growing your own food? Give examples to explain this.
- Which poster encourages workers in the services to help with food production? Can you explain how the poster makes this clear?
- Explain how certain posters could be used to target a particular audience, for example: men/women/children/all groups.
- Which is the most persuasive poster in your opinion? Comment on visual messaging (colour and artwork) and language. [Tip: use the questions from Task 1.]
- Can you think of any other evidence these posters provide about life during the Second World War?
Source 1
Poster from Ministry of Information entitled: ‘Plan and grow for Winter’ by artist Paul Falconer, Catalogue ref: INF 3/99
Image description
The title at the top of the poster says: ‘Plan and grow for winter.’ The poster is split into two parts. The top image shows a man and woman, kneeling with their two children, a girl and boy on a rug. They all look at a poster illustrating various vegetables. The lower image shows the same family seated at a table, and the woman serves food to their plates. Below the top picture are the words ‘Planned crops for garden wealth’ and below the bottom picture, ‘Assure the family’s winter health.’
Source 2
Poster from Ministry of Information entitled ‘Dig for Plenty’ with artist’s signature ‘BAN’ (1939-1945), Catalogue ref: EXT 1/57 (17)
This poster was used as part of the government campaign ‘Dig for Plenty’ to encourage people to grow their food, like other campaigns such as ‘Lend a Hand on the Land’, ‘Dig for Victory’ or ‘Battle for Bread’.
The ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign, started in October 1939, was one of the most famous of the war. It encouraged people to use every spare piece of land, including their gardens, to grow vegetables.
Image description
On the left side of the poster, a tall thin man smokes a pipe and digs in the ground. On the right, a large plump man carries a spade over his shoulder and holds a basket filled to the brim with beans, carrots, apples and a large cabbage. The word ‘Dig’ appears on the left side of the poster and ‘For Plenty’ appears on the right. At the bottom right are the words: ‘Grow food in your garden or get an allotment’.
Source 3
Poster from Ministry of Information entitled: ‘Lend A Hand on The Land – Come on RAF and WAAF!’ Catalogue INF 13/140 (10)
An ‘orderly room’ can be found in a barracks. It contained the company or troop records and was used for business.
Image description
The top half of woman wearing a blue shirt and holding an armful of wheat beckons the viewer with the fingers of her other hand. She is situated in a yellow wheat field and in the background another woman with man wearing a cap, are gathering handfuls of wheat. At the top of the poster are the words: ‘Come on RAF and WAAF!’ At the bottom it reads: ‘Lend a hand on the Land’- Full details from the Orderly Room.