What does the British Empire Exhibition have to do with Doctor Who?

The answer is: Lots!

1. The former British Empire Exhibtion site has been used as a film location for the series.
2. The ninth Doctor and Rose take a visit there in the novel The Clockwise Man.
3. The most recent commemorative stamp celebrated the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who and the very first commemorative stamp was to mark the opening of the British Empire Exhibition!

We have several of these beauties in Brent Museum & Archives’ collections. Harold Nelson’s design depicts: one of the many ‘Wembley Lion’ images associated with the exhibition; the name and year of the exhibition; and the head of the monarch in 1924, King George V.  As with many trailblazing ideas, it wasn’t met with a wholeheartedly gleeful response, especially from the King himself:

The King has heard of the proposal to issue a commemorative stamp at the British Empire Exhibition and although His Majesty is not very much in favour of stamps of this sort, because the whole idea is un-English and is copied from America, the King thinks that if it is to be done at all, it should be done properly. Assuming therefore that the Post Office has approved of the general idea, His Majesty hopes that a really competent Committee will be appointed to assist the Master of the Mint with the designs. The King is of the opinion that it is a waste of time to put people on the Committee who do not know anything about stamps or designs, and trusts that you will see that a thoroughly good Committee is appointed. His Majesty would like Mr E D Bacon, CVO, [representing] Buckingham Palace, put on the Committee in the interests of the Philatelists’ Society.

Extract from a letter written by Mr Ponsonby, His Majesty’s Private Secretary

One of the many wonderful parts of this year’s British Empire Exhibition Project was working with young people to design new commemorative stamps.  Download the template and design your own here: www.brent.gov.uk/bee. 

Don’t forget to share it with us!

 

Posted by Sarah