Print of the Norman Wilkinson railway poster - sold in aid of the Campaign for Stowe

In the late 1930s the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company commissioned from Norman Wilkinson, PRI, a series of posters featuring famous public schools of England and Wales. The poster of Stowe is one of this series, which also portrays Bedford, Berkhamsted, Fettes, Harrow, Manchester Grammar School, Oundle, Repton, Rugby, St Paul's, Sedbergh, Shrewsbury, Stonyhurst, Uppingham and Westminster.
In addition to depicting the school itself, every poster bears the crests of the school and of the LMSR and carries below the picture a letterpress caption giving a brief history and other particulars of interest about the school. The posters were intended for display both in this country and overseas. Originally intended to be short-term advertising, very few copies of the posters still survive. The National Railway Museum at York has over 7,000 railway posters in its collection. Anyone wishing to see a specific poster should contact the Curator of the Pictorial Collections before visiting.
Stowe School is most grateful to the trustees of the Hall Bequest who purchased the poster featuring Stowe and have generously allowed any profits raised from the sale of the prints to go towards the Campaign for Stowe.
The purpose of the Campaign for Stowe is to restore Stowe House and to fund the School's most pressing requirements for educational development. The poster depicts Stoics playing rugby against the backdrop of the North Front.
Norman Wilkinson's son, Rodney, was an Old Stoic (Walpole 41) and followed in his father's footsteps as an artist.
Excellent digital reproductions of the poster (size approx 60x42cm) can be purchased from the Development Office at Stowe (+44 (0)1280 818349) at a cost of £25.00 with post and packing an extra £3.50. Credit cards accepted.
Norman Wilkinson CBE (1878-1971) was born in Cambridge, educated at Berkhamsted and St Paul's, and studied art at Portsmouth and Southsea Schools of Art. He is best remembered as a famous marine painter; he also made a major contribution to the art of camouflage. He designed posters for other railway companies including the Royal Academy series of posters for the LMS in 1924. He also worked for the Illustrated London News and Illustrated Mail.