Saucy Postcards

[aaron b]

In the 1950's, local councils in British seaside resorts organized a clean-up of the saucy postcards that were traditionally sold in their towns to Brits on holiday. Postcard artist Donald McGill was charged with publishing obscene images in 1954. He pleaded guilty. Four of his postcard designs were banned, and 17 more were withdrawn Reviewom sale. McGill lost around £100,000 of revenue, by today's value, as a result of the censorship.

The artist, who was 79 at the time of his 1954 trial, admitted breaking the 1857 Obscene Publications Act but claimed in mitigation: ‘I had no intention of a “double meaning” and, in fact, a double meaning was in some cases later pointed out to me.’

Some samples of these 21 postcards, Reviewom a current museum exhibition on the Isle of Wight (ha ha ... prepare to be shocked!):















See more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1300763/Just-saucy-The-bawdy-seaside-postcards-censors-banned-50-years-ago.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0vmxxtmFf