Shell County Guides and Northumberland
For the February meeting Chairman Richard Booth welcomed local author Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Platten to speak about the history of the Shell County Guides.The Shell name originates from the late 19th century when Marcus Samuel decided to name the shipping company after the seashells he brought back with him from the Far East.
By the 1930s the company’s publicity director, Jack Bedington, critical of the dullness of the advertising, decided to liven things up. He created the Shell Film Unit which produced educational films to be used in schools. He identified up and coming artists to create attractive designs for use on oil drums and posters. The motor car was fast becoming a popular mode of transport and adverts featuring famous singers such as Bing Crosby belted out the catchy jingle, “You can be sure of Shell!” And in June 1934 the first of a series of guidebooks on the counties of Britain was published.
These Shell County Guides were intended to encourage motorists to explore less obvious locations around the country – after filling up their cars with their favourite petrol of course! The first to be published was the County Guide to Cornwall, with descriptions by celebrated poet John Betjeman. A total of thirteen guides were published throughout the 1930s. As editor, Betjeman looked for successful authors as well as members of the local gentry to write the guides. The aim was to focus on local, curious details to be found in out of the way places.
From 1937 and after the war the guides became warmer in style under the influence of artist John Piper. Pictures and photographs were included and the popularity of the guides grew with each new publication. It was in this year too that The Shell Guide to Northumberland and Durham was first published. The last County Guide was produced in 1984.
Although now out of print, old copies can still be found. But our speaker, Stephen Platten, has recently published a “Guide to Northumberland” in the style of the originals. If it’s anything like his talk, it will, I’m sure, be beautifully illustrated and packed with fascinating facts.