Barnet by Tram poster | London United Tramways | London Transport poster | Charles Paine 1922
For this fabulous 1922 Barnet by Tram poster, the Manchester-born artist Charles Paine once again takes a historical approach to his poster subject. The London transport poster was commissioned by London United Tramways and published by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London to promote their recently introduced Barnet tram services. Charles Paine’s image references the Barnet Horse Fair… an annual horse and pleasure fair held near Mays Lane, Barnet, England.
Paine’s image is typical of many of his colourful, structured and highly stylised posters. The striking poster image depicts seven ponies being held in a corral on Barnet common. The seven different horses are made up of a chestnut brown mare, a white filly, a couple of piebald geldings, a black thoroughbred and a bay foal all peering out over the top of the walled pen. The horses are set against a background made up of large blocks of bold blue and green flat colours to represent the grass and sky.
The poster was published by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London in 1922.
Barnet Horse Fair
The origins of the Barnet Horse Fair can be traced back to the 12th century when King John granted a charter for High Barnet to hold a cattle and livestock market. In 1588, to add to the popular Barnet market, Queen Elizabeth I granted another charter to the Lord of the Manor of Barnet to hold a fair twice a year early. The fair was originally held in June and October. In 1758, the dates of the Barnet Horse Fair were altered to April and September in order to boost trade. By 1881, the April fair was no longer held.
The September fair, however, became extremely popular. Barnet Fair became famous for its sports with horse racing and boxing being part of the fair’s attractions. According to the Barnet gov website in 1787 for example the Prince of Wales was one of the many thousands of spectators who came to watch the horse racing, and the Jewish boxer Mendoza beat Martins, the Bath Butcher, in the ring. These sporting events were held on a field where the railway station stands today.
Many horses, ponies and cattle were bought and sold at the fair. The Barnet website says that in the 1880s as many as 40,000 cows were bought and sold. The fair became an immensely popular destination for horse traders and breeders. Horse races and boxing were part of the fair’s attractions until 1872 when the railway station was built on the field where the racetrack had been. By the 1920s the decline in horse transport resulted in the decline in Barnet Fair’s importance.
Barnet by Tram services
The Barnet Tram system, which launched on May 31st, 1905, was a network of electric trams serving the Barnet community and played a crucial role in connecting the area to central London. As a key part of North London’s transportation infrastructure, it was considered one of the most successful tram systems in the city. The system operated four routes that served local residents and commuters alike. The first of these routes, which opened in 1905, ran from Barnet to Finchley.
Over the next year, three more services were introduced. These were between Barnet to Highgate, Barnet to Golders Green and Barnet to Mill Hill. These routes were operated by the LUT, which ran the Barnet Tram system until it was taken over by the London County Council Tramways in 1933. The trams ran on overhead electric cables and had a distinctive yellow and green livery. Accounts claim the trams offered a smooth ride, interiors were brightly lit and had comfortable seats, making them the popular choice for travellers. The trams were a reliable and affordable mode of transportation for the people of Barnet and the surrounding areas. The Barnet Tram system was an essential part of the local economy, providing jobs for hundreds of people in the area. Drivers, conductors, mechanics, and other workers were all part of the team that kept the trams running.
The trams served a wide range of people, including commuters, shoppers, visitors, and residents. Anyone who worked in central London or other parts of North London would use the trams to travel to and from work every day. Shoppers would take the trams to Barnet to take advantage of the many retail options, and visitors from all over London would hop on the trams to see the sights and enjoy the local amenities. Finally, many people who lived in Barnet and surrounding areas would use the trams to travel around the area.
Charles Paine Poster artist
Charles Paine’s career accomplishments are extensive. His work encompasses stained glass, book illustration, watercolour and acrylic painting. It includes interior design, commercial advertising, teaching, as well as textile and wallpaper design. Today he is probably best known for his many poster designs for companies, including London Underground, Empire Marketing Board, and the GPO, and his work for Penguin Books, and Sundour Fabrics.
The Pendleton-born artist was clearly a gifted talent in the art and crafts tradition. Starting out at the Salford School of Art in Manchester, Paine was apprenticed to the craft of making stained glass. Paine honed his craft at the Royal College of Art before leaving London to work for the Applied Art Department of Edinburgh College of Art under John Platt, who had a significant influence on Paine’s work. It’s believed that Platt introduced him to Frank Pick, who commissioned Paine to design many posters for the London Underground.
Whilst Charles Paine produced posters for a range of companies it is his iconic work for various London transport organisations that he is best remembered for. His breathtaking designs adorned underground, bus and tram stations for nearly a decade. From 1920 to 1929, Paine created more than 20 stunning posters that captured the essence of the city and its culture. Among his most cherished designs are those that continue to captivate audiences with their timeless beauty and charm including his fabulous 1922 Kingston By Tram poster that features the four white Kingston Swans zig-zagging down the River Thames. It was the first poster the artist created for the London Transport company. One of his most eye-catching designs is the 1921 Uxbridge poster that depicts 13 golden and one red fish swimming in blue and teal waters.
In 2013, Paine’s Uxbridge (fishes) poster design was one of three Paine posters featured in the 150 best posters exhibited by London Underground during the 150th-anniversary celebrations. The other two were probably his two most popular and recognised designs, which, even if you didn’t know the artist by name, have become iconic images of the golden age of the underground and are familiar to most people. The first is his 1921 For the Zoo poster which depicts a waddle of blue, black and white penguins set against a yellow background. It is one of the underground’s most iconic posters and is highly sought after with one original copy selling for almost £10,000 back in 2013. The other Underground poster to feature in the 150th-anniversary celebrations was the 1925 Richmond Park poster that combines natural elements with history in the shape of the park’s wildlife and the famous 750-year-old oak tree, known as the Royal Oak.
Another poster by the Mancunian-born artist we’d like to include is his Barnet by Tram poster created in 1922. The design published by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London features an superb image of seven ponies corralled at the Barnet horse fair… an annual horse and pleasure fair that used to be held near Mays Lane, Barnet, England.
One poster Paine created for the London Underground was used to advertise an important sporting event rather than a specific tube destination. It was the poster advertising the 1923 Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge. The spectacular poster appeared in the tube train carriages across London in February and March 1923. Paine’s simple graphic shapes, dynamic compositions and use of bold, flat colours were a perfect solution for poster design.
Paine’s style was innovative, departing from the standard advertising of the time, which often featured literal representations of the subject. Instead, he used simplified forms and large blocks of colour, making his posters interesting, eye-catching and effective. His limited use of colour also made the posters economical to reproduce, and by the mid-1920s, other poster artists widely copied his approach. Paine’s work left an indelible mark on poster art, becoming a showcase for all the avant-garde European art movements of the early 20th century. His legacy continues to inspire and influence designers today.
