British Government Information and Propaganda, 1939–2009 Overview

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British Government Information and Propaganda, 1939–2009

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Colour poster by William Little issued in 1941 showing two groups of armed marching soldiers, one from each of the countries allied to fight Germany, Japan, and Italy, facing a giant V for victory composed of the flags of each of the countries allied in the fight.

The Central Office of Information (COI) Archive

This unique collection [. . .] provides a snapshot of the social history of Britain through government eyes.

Jennie Grimshaw,

Curator, Official Publications and Social Policy at The British Library.

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Access the full archive of British Government Information and Propaganda, 1939–2009.

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Learn how the British government attempted to shape public opinion at home and abroad

A poster with a red background which reads 'Have you... Put away all papers? Locked up? Made a final check? Be quite sure before you leave. Keep our secrets secret'.

Scanned from source at the British Library, this collection contains a carefully curated selection of materials produced by the British Ministry of Information (MOI) and Central Office of Information (COI) during the period 1939–2009.

The items are diverse in nature, ranging from posters and stickers to pamphlets and guidance booklets. The subject matter is just as varied, covering public health, education, social security, civil defence, international politics, race relations, sex discrimination, public sector career opportunities, policing, the environment, and Britain’s membership of the European Economic Community. Most of the items were published during the post-war period, but some date from the First and Second World Wars.

The collection therefore provides students and researchers with a unique insight into what successive British governments wanted their citizens to know, think, and do, as well as how their methods of achieving their aims changed over time. In addition, it reveals the image of Britain that different governments chose to project to the rest of the world.

Highlights

Section of an edition of War Brevities dated 8 July 1940.

Licensed to access Collection of 'War Brevities', 1940

The importance of morale on the home front can be seen in these copies of ‘War Brevities’ issued by the MOI in July and September of 1940. Despite Britain’s vulnerable position after the fall of France earlier in the year, the narrative focuses on German losses and “British strength”.

Section of the cover of the Central Office of Information Reference Pamphlet featuring a red rectangle with the text The British Parliament inside.

Licensed to access COI Reference pamphlet on the British Parliament, 1959

This 27-page reference pamphlet, published just before the 1959 General Election, provides a brief overview of Britain’s system of government, including sections on the party system, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords.

Front page of the first issue of Equals, featuring an article titled What It's All About and a photograph of a man playing darts.

Licensed to access Issue I of 'Equals', 1975

‘Equals’ was a COI published newspaper “dedicated to the idea that…[people] should not be held back by racial discrimination.” The first issue covers every aspect of British race relations, from housing and employment to cinema and social class.

Section of the front page of a pamphlet titled Protect and Survive, describing How to make your home as safe as possible under nuclear attack.

Licensed to access 'Protect and Survive' pamphlet, 1980

This 4-page pamphlet was part of a wider multimedia campaign that ran during the period 1974-1980. Its purpose was to advise the public on how to protect themselves in the event of a nuclear attack on Britain.

Insights

The Central Office of Information (COI) was a British government department established in 1946 as the successor to the wartime Ministry of Information (MOI).
The COI and MOI were responsible for informing and influencing the British public on a wide range of issues, from social security and education to foreign policy and food safety.
To this end, both worked with and on behalf of other departments and public bodies to design and produce appropriate publicity and propaganda materials.
The COI was disbanded in 2012 as part of the coalition government’s so-called “bonfire of the quangos.” Its records were subsequently deposited at the British Library, British Film Institute (BFI), National Archives, and Imperial War Museum.
The material in this online collection is drawn from the British Library’s COI archive, which is kept in storage at the organisation’s site in Boston Spa, Yorkshire.
The documents are divided into seven volumes: Defence and armed forces, 1914-2001; Political economy and trade, 1938-1996; Welfare state, 1940-1997; Democracy and government, 1936-1999; Policing, public order, and personal security, 1972-1996; Immigration and race, 1940-2006; and Central Office of Information (COI) and government communication, 1946-2009.
Users can search for documents within each volume by British Library shelfmark number, sub-theme, date range, and government department, amongst other categories.

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