Liberty Foundations

From the collection of

MACE is the strategic lead organisation for screen heritage for the East and West Midlands regions. An independent charity based at University of Lincoln, MACE preserves and makes accessible a collection of more than 100,000 historic moving images representative of the diverse cultures and histories of communities throughout the heart of England from the Lincolnshire coast to the Welsh border.

Liberty Foundations

Media Archive for Central England
Market Harborough
1956-01-01
Sound
2m

Liberté, égalité and fraternité in corsets, girdles and bras.

In 1956 the Market Harborough firm of R. & W.H. Symington was celebrating a centenary of manufacturing textiles. Best known under the brand name of Liberty Foundations, this early television commercial plays with 'Liberty' and 'Liberté' by bringing in French actress Yvonne Arnaud to explain the 'art of choosing the right type of foundation garment'. A wonderful feeling of freedom sounds an unlikely boast though whilst tied into a tight corset.

Yvonne Arnaud (1892-1958) was born in Paris but had worked in Britain since before the First World War. She lived in Guildford for many years and there is a theatre in the town named in her honour.

Commercial Television

The launch of ITV on 22 September 1955 brought advertising to the small screen. Commercial television spread rapidly across the country, inviting the salesperson into every living room.

This collection shows how some advertisers struggled to find the right voice and formats for the new medium, while others hit the ground running. Look out for rare examples of the shortlived 'admags' - banned in 1962 for blurring the distinction between programmes and adverts.