Glad Tidings of Struggle and Strife

The Christmas card, with its enduring themes of peace, goodwill, justice and hope, has long been seen as an appropriate medium for individuals and groups to project similar aspirations. Over a 40-year period, Llew and Pam Smith have collected Christmas cards that highlight political, industrial and social turmoil. Many portray the words and deeds of the brave, who, in the face of injustice, refused to remain silent. Reproduced here in full color, these cards, numbering over 250 and accompanied by a detailed narrative of the issues they embody, present a unique portrait of British politics from the early days of the industrial revolution to the current coalition government and the Occupy Movement. They epitomize what Martha Gelhorn calls, 'An old and unending worldwide company, the men and women of conscience ... the blessed proof of the dignity of man.'