Wartime 'Keep Calm' posters sell for more than £9k

Three original World War Two posters with the message 'Keep Calm and Carry On' have fetched more than £9,000 at an auction, surpassing their top estimates. These posters were created by the British government to be used in the event of a successful invasion by the Germans. The three posters, in different sizes, were previously owned by a police officer who was stationed in Suffolk just after the war ended. Fred Wyrley-Birch, director at Newcastle-based auctioneer Anderson and Garland, described the posters as an inspiring message from the past.

The posters were part of three motivational designs created by the British government's Ministry of Information before the war began in September 1939. The other two posters, which read 'Your courage, your cheerfulness, your resolution will bring us victory' and 'Freedom is in peril', were widely distributed during the early months of the conflict. However, the 'Keep Calm' posters were held in reserve to be used during severe crises, so the design was never publicly displayed during the war, according to Mr. Wyrley-Birch.

The three posters, to the best of the auction house's knowledge, have never before appeared as a complete set at auction. The smallest poster sold for £2,210, the mid-sized poster for £3,250, and the largest of the three for £3,640 on Thursday. The auction house expressed their pleasure in being able to sell them as a complete set. Follow BBC North East on social media and send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc. co. uk.