The Shippam's Collection at West Sussex Record Office
By Nichola Court, Archivist (West Sussex Record Office)
The Shippam’s Business Archive
West Sussex Record Office holds the Shippam’s business archive, an extensive and comprehensive collection that includes:
Minute books of meetings
Financial reports
Recipe books
Photographs and site plans
Personal records of the Shippam family
Records of the Shippam’s Social Club and other social groups
In addition, the collection contains a significant number of advertising and promotional records. Thanks to The Novium Museum’s Arts Council England-funded project, these records have recently been catalogued.
Cataloguing the Collection
Just over 200 items were catalogued, allowing volunteers to use the records for research that will help shape the exhibition content. The cataloguing process has revealed a wealth of artwork and documents which shed light on Shippam’s advertising and promotional campaigns, particularly in the 1930s.
These campaigns were led by the London Press Exchange, an agency whose reach and influence expanded significantly during this period and later produced advertisements for the government during World War II. Of particular note are documents relating to the market research carried out by the London Press Exchange, including draft questionnaires for key consumers such as housewives and grocers, and analysis of the results of both the market research and the advertising campaigns which were carried forward.
The London Press Exchange used all available media, including print (national and local newspapers, as well as magazines), radio, and film. They also generated significant content for 'the trade' (retailers and suppliers) as well as the public. The value of housewives as consumers is evident, with many advertisements, promotional campaigns and radio shows targeted specifically at this group.
Advertising Through the Decades
While many newly catalogued records date from the 1930s, the collection includes advertisements and promotional materials spanning up to the 21st century. As a child of the 80s, some of my favourite items include artwork for advertisements from that decade, including tie-ins with Munch Bunch and Masters of the Universe! (Sadly, I’ve found no evidence that the Masters of the Universe tie-in actually happened.)
One particularly striking piece is the original artwork for a proposed print advertisement for salmon paste, dating back to c.1930. Additionally, the scripts for the 1938 radio series Mrs Celebrity (The Wives of the Famous), which aired on Radio Normandy in 1938 – taglines, The women behind the men behind the headlines and Presenting the wives of the men whose names make news - form a fascinating set of documents, giving us a bit of highly-scripted insight into the day-to-day life of the rich and famous (boxers, racing car drivers – and big band leaders): almost the 1930s equivalent of Real Housewives!
The Importance of Advertising to Shippam’s Success
Having worked with the Shippam’s collection at West Sussex Record Office since 2007, I was delighted to catalogue the advertising and promotional records as part of this project. These records are central to the Shippam’s story, and help us understand how the company became a genuine market leader.
The records also highlight the risks the directors took to grow the business, investing significant time and money into new promotional methods with uncertain financial and reputational outcomes. Many of these advertisements are visually striking and often quite fun. However, as products of their time, they also reflect social norms, trends, and values - some now outdated - alongside a heavy dose of nostalgia.
Accessing the Shippam’s Collection
The Shippam’s collection is available for public access at West Sussex Record Office through our searchroom. To learn more about West Sussex Record Office, including how to access our collections, please visit our website: https://www.wsro.org.uk/.
All images courtesy of West Sussex Record Office.
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