Title - This England of Ours - Cheddar Gorge - GWR.
Location - Cheddar, Somerset, England.
Artist - Charles (Chas) H. J. Mayo (1907-1982).
Description - The GWR produced a series of posters with the tagline "This England of Ours", and this example was for Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. It is a fabulous monochrome drawing by Mayo, of the dramatic rocky south face of the gorge, with tiny cars and people visible on the road at the bottom left.
Included with the poster is the envelope in which it had been kept folded when we acquired it. It is addressed to Mr & Mrs H Mayo, to an address in Candie, Guernsey, and stamped 1936. We do not know if it was him, or a relative, but it does suggest that this particular poster has some history with the artist's family, and for that reason we would like to keep them together.
Year Published - 1933
Size - Quad Royal (approx 50 x 40in or 127 x 102cm) plus linen border.
Other Details:
Original Vintage GWR British Railway Travel Poster.
Printed in England by John Waddington Ltd, Leeds & London.
Condition Grade and Condition Report:
Grade: B+. We have had this poster conservation-backed on linen. For more details of the process please see the "Conservation" page of this website.
Repaired worn folds, with repaired paper losses on folds and around poster edges. Some light fox spotting remains within the title area. Displays very well. More detailed photos are available on request if required.
More About The Artist:
Charles (Chas) Henry James Mayo was born in Keynsham, near Bristol the son of a railway clerk. He bacame a Graphic Designer within the GWR's publicity staff from 1931. His other well known poster for the GWR was entitled Speed To The West.