19401949 Collection

California: US Battleships at anchor, Long Beach (photo)
5995752 California: US Battleships at anchor, Long Beach (photo) by American Photographer (19th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: US Battleships at anchor, Long Beach)

The first Co-operative shop to be opened in Rochdale, Lancashire, in 1844 (litho)
7157581 The first Co-operative shop to be opened in Rochdale, Lancashire, in 1844 (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Soviet leader Joseph Stalin planning strategy in the Kremlin during the Second World War, 1941-1945 (colour litho)
6029795 Soviet leader Joseph Stalin planning strategy in the Kremlin during the Second World War, 1941-1945 (colour litho) by Russian School (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

"Premier"loop wheel frame, Stibbe and Co, Leicester (litho)
7160480 " Premier" loop wheel frame, Stibbe and Co, Leicester (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: " Premier" loop wheel frame)

Londoners sheltering from a German air raid on a platform in Piccadilly Underground Station during the Blitz
6015286 Londoners sheltering from a German air raid on a platform in Piccadilly Underground Station during the Blitz, World War II, September 1940 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

The red army forces the crossing of the Vistula (Poland), 1944 (oil on canvas)
FIA5359074 The red army forces the crossing of the Vistula (Poland), 1944 (oil on canvas) by Russian School (20th century); State Central Artillery Museum, St

Norwich, LMS & L. N. E. R, c. 1940 (lithograph in colours)
1766923 Norwich, LMS & L.N.E.R, c.1940 (lithograph in colours) by Ginner, Charles (1878-1952); 100x62 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Norwich, LMS & L.N.E.R. Charles Ginner (1878-1952)

Pamir, one of the last commercial sailing ships, off Sydney Heads, Australia (b / w photo)
7156948 Pamir, one of the last commercial sailing ships, off Sydney Heads, Australia (b/w photo) by Australian Photographer (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Pamir)

British Vickers Wellington bombers setting off on a daylight bombing raid on Germany, World War II (photo)
6015167 British Vickers Wellington bombers setting off on a daylight bombing raid on Germany, World War II (photo) by English Photographer

William Slim, British general who commanded the 14th Army fighting the Japanese in the Burma campaign, World War II
6015173 William Slim, British general who commanded the 14th Army fighting the Japanese in the Burma campaign, World War II, 1943-1945 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

British schoolchildren practicing putting on their gas masks, World War II, 1939-1945 (b / w photo)
6015158 British schoolchildren practicing putting on their gas masks, World War II, 1939-1945 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

A view of Brisbane, showing Victoria Bridge, foreground, and Grey Street Bridge (b / w photo)
6024670 A view of Brisbane, showing Victoria Bridge, foreground, and Grey Street Bridge (b/w photo) by Australian Photographer (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A view of Brisbane)

American admiral Chester W Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Fleet, World War II, 1941-1945 (photo)
6015170 American admiral Chester W Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Fleet, World War II, 1941-1945 (photo) by American Photographer (19th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Queensland, Australia: Droving Cattle near Goondiwindi (photo)
6027411 Queensland, Australia: Droving Cattle near Goondiwindi (photo) by Australian Photographer (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Droving Cattle near Goondiwindi)

King George VI in naval uniform (photo)
6015221 King George VI in naval uniform (photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: King George VI (1895-1952) in naval uniform

British Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten with his staff at Combined Operations Headquarters, World War II
6015206 British Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten with his staff at Combined Operations Headquarters, World War II, 1942-1943 (photo) by English Photographer

Members of the cabinet of Britains Labour government elected in the 1945 General Election (b / w photo)
6015255 Members of the cabinet of Britains Labour government elected in the 1945 General Election (b/w photo) by English Photographer

British Cars of 1949: Triumph Cars (b/w photo)
8657217 British Cars of 1949: Triumph Cars (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Triumph Cars)

British Cars of 1949: Sunbeam-Talbot (b/w photo)
8657214 British Cars of 1949: Sunbeam-Talbot (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sunbeam-Talbot)

British Cars of 1949: Singer (b/w photo)
8657211 British Cars of 1949: Singer (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Singer)

British Cars of 1949: Jowett (b/w photo)
8657199 British Cars of 1949: Jowett (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Jowett)

British Cars of 1949: Humber (b/w photo)
8657195 British Cars of 1949: Humber (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Humber)

Sorting letters at a post office (b/w photo)
8626063 Sorting letters at a post office (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sorting letters at a post office)

Telegraphing pictures of a football cup final (b/w photo)
8626061 Telegraphing pictures of a football cup final (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Telegraphing pictures of a football cup final)

London: Guards Band returning from Buckingham Palace, after changing of Guard (colour photo)
8627131 London: Guards Band returning from Buckingham Palace, after changing of Guard (colour photo) by English Photographer

Piccadilly Circus, London (colour photo)
8627130 Piccadilly Circus, London (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Piccadilly Circus, London. Postcard, c.1950.); © Look and Learn

Telephone repeater station (b/w photo)
8626068 Telephone repeater station (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Telephone repeater station)

Stamp cancelling letters by machine (b/w photo)
8626064 Stamp cancelling letters by machine (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Stamp cancelling letters by machine)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Eleanor Powell (colour photo)
8669125 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Eleanor Powell (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Eleanor Powell)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Frances Drake (colour photo)
8668503 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Frances Drake (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Frances Drake)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Paulette Goddard (colour photo)
8668483 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Paulette Goddard (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Paulette Goddard)

Advertisement for Tala Colourful Kitchenware (colour litho)
8655276 Advertisement for Tala Colourful Kitchenware (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Advertisement for Tala Colourful Kitchenware)

King George VI and Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, 1948 (b/w photo)
5304830 King George VI and Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, 1948 (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); (add.info)

Colomba threatens two men with a gun, 1940 (illustration)
8683015 Colomba threatens two men with a gun, 1940 (illustration) by Neziere, Raymond de la (1865-1953); Private Collection; (add.info)

Chickens and Goats Feeding in a Farmyard, 1944 (oil on canvas)
6201904 Chickens and Goats Feeding in a Farmyard, 1944 (oil on canvas) by Hunt, Edgar (1876-1953); Private Collection

View of the officers mess in a submerged submarine, with cooking utensils and four sailors playing cards
MMM5480879 View of the officers mess in a submerged submarine, with cooking utensils and four sailors playing cards by Ravilious, Eric (1903-42); National Maritime Museum, London

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Tania Weller (colour photo)
8668506 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Tania Weller (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Tania Weller)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Movita Gastenada (colour photo)
8668499 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Movita Gastenada (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Movita Gastenada)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Lita Chevret (colour photo)
8668498 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Lita Chevret (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Lita Chevret)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Audrene Brier (colour photo)
8668497 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Audrene Brier (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Audrene Brier)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Janice Jarratt (colour photo)
8668496 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Janice Jarratt (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Janice Jarratt)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Mlle L'ardy (colour photo)
8668482 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Mlle L'ardy (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mlle L'ardy)

Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Edith Zeisler (colour photo)
8668480 Beauties of To-Day, 1940: Edith Zeisler (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Edith Zeisler)

Still Life with Lute, 1946 (oil on canvas)
656412 Still Life with Lute, 1946 (oil on canvas) by Filla, Emil (1882-1953); 97x130 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Still Life with Lute. Emil Filla (1882-1953). Oil on canvas

Polly's Clown, 1946 (oil on canvasboard)
651156 Polly's Clown, 1946 (oil on canvasboard) by Shinn, Everett (1876-1953); 40.2x30.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Polly's Clown. Everett Shinn (1876-1953). Oil on canvasboard

Happy Guy, 1944 (oil on canvas)
650489 Happy Guy, 1944 (oil on canvas) by Shinn, Everett (1876-1953); 61x51 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Happy Guy. Everett Shinn (1876-1953). Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 1944

Clown on Empty Seats, 1947 (oil on board)
823006 Clown on Empty Seats, 1947 (oil on board) by Shinn, Everett (1876-1953); 25.5x20.3 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Clown on Empty Seats. Everett Shinn (1876-1953). Oil on board

Dr Johnson at the Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street, 1948 (oil on canvas)
1772179 Dr Johnson at the Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street, 1948 (oil on canvas) by Bennett, Frank Moss (1874-1953); 40.6x50.8 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Dr Johnson at the Cheshire Cheese)

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The 1940s were a decade of significant historical events and cultural shifts. It was a time when the world witnessed both the horrors of war and the resilience of humanity. In Rochdale, Lancashire, in 1844, the first Co-operative shop opened its doors, marking a milestone in community-driven commerce. As World War II engulfed nations across the globe from 1939 to 1945, British schoolchildren diligently practiced putting on their gas masks as they prepared for potential air raids. The haunting black and white photograph captures their innocence amidst an uncertain time. Across continents, Brisbane showcased its beauty with Victoria Bridge standing proudly in the foreground while Grey Street Bridge gracefully spanned over tranquil waters. These monochromatic images offer glimpses into a bygone era that shaped modern-day Australia. In Burma's treacherous terrain during World War II's Burma campaign (1943-1945), British General William Slim led his troops with unwavering determination against Japanese forces. His black and white portrait reflects his resolute spirit as he strategized to secure victory. Meanwhile, at Combined Operations Headquarters during World War II (1942-1943), British Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten commanded his staff with precision and expertise. This snapshot immortalizes their dedication to planning crucial military operations that would shape history. On another front, American Admiral Chester W Nimitz assumed command over the US Pacific Fleet during World War II (1941-1945). His photograph showcases his leadership qualities as he navigated through turbulent waters towards ultimate triumph. In Queensland, Australia drovers skillfully herded cattle near Goondiwindi – an image capturing not only hard work but also highlighting rural life's importance in sustaining communities even during times of global conflict. King George VI donned naval uniform - a symbol of strength and unity - reflecting Britain's resolve amid wartime challenges. This regal portrait serves as a reminder of the monarchy's role in inspiring hope and resilience.