Monday 5 September 2016

London's Burning

5th September 1666 - exactly 350 years ago - marked the end of the Great Fire of London. Over the weekend, the Royal Mail brought out a set of six commemorative stamps






It is interesting to see this unusual comic strip style on our stamps - but they tell the story in an interesting way. I like the use of the London Streets dividing up the sections of each stamp, and the amazing detail. I had thought we might have a drawing of Samuel Pepys burying his Parmesan Cheese - but I think it is better that we are reminded of the hundreds who lost everything.
But I do wish that they would include an ordinary 2nd class stamp in the Commemorative sets - I so rarely use any of the more expensive ones.
Does anyone else remember the "Look and Learn" children's magazine? The style of these illustrations reminds me of the historical stories told in those pages.

7 comments:

  1. Ooh, yes, I remember Look and Learn. I looked forward to it each week. Before that I had Children's Newspaper which I also loved but it was rather more "worthy" (and wordy) in style.

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    1. I remember the Children's Newspaper which my parents sold in their newsagent's shop, but I had School Friend and Girl comics and also the monthly magazine which no one remembers now called Young Elizabethan, edited by Kaye Webb. In that was the strip cartoon of Molesworth, the Curse of St Custards, as well as stories. I have since managed to buy three copies on from Abe Books.
      Margaret P

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  2. Yes, Look and Learn was the magazine that we bought for my children!

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  3. I love the stamps! I have bought myself a set to go into my book by Adrian Tiniswood about the Great Fire and its aftermath.
    I am too old for Look and Learn but this strip reminds me of those which used to be in Girl comic in the early 1950s in their centre-page history strip.
    Margaret P

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  4. I don't remember the Children's Newspaper or the Young Elizabethan (glorious title!) but I did have a Girl Annual.

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  5. Bob has pointed out this website which has amazing L&L archive stuff AND articles from the Children's Newspaper http://www.lookandlearn.com/index.php

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  6. Like you, I life the many stories on one stamp but am, vaguely, troubled by the cartoon display. Such an awful thing to happen...that fire!

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