Printed 1st birthday card, England, 1948

Colour printed birthday card showing three babies near a birthday cake, the baby closest has blown out the candle on the cake. The card is issued by the Central Council for Health Education and inside is a printed message promoting Diphtheria immunisation. Staple holes are visible from where the card was stapled closed, and on one side of the closed card is Linda's address, a 1_D stamp and a postmark from London E1 dated 8 March 1948.

Given by Linda Underwood

Mass vaccination programmes for children were introduced in Britain in the 1940s, pre-dating the NHS which was launched in July 1948.

'Local authorities were responsible for funding such vaccination programmes before the introduction of the NHS and as many were already burdened with operating infant welfare clinics and dispensaries, they were reluctant to accrue more expense and commitment. The outbreak of the Second World War provided the necessary impetus to introduce diphtheria vaccination with central government allocating funds to local authorities to meet the costs of introducing the programme. By the end of 1942, a third of all children under 15 years of age in England and Wales, and a half of all in Scotland had been protected against diphtheria. While this was a major step in widening the availability of vaccination against certain childhood diseases, it was not until the passing of the National Health Service Acts of 1946-8, which established the NHS, that a major sea change in vaccination provision was secured.'

[www.peopleshistorynhs.org]

One of 17 cards donated by Linda Underwood (née Gotts) that were given to her on her 1st birthday, mainly from family and friends. This card however was issued by the Central Council for Health Education and sent to Linda from her local Diphtheria immunisation clinic, in the Borough of Stepney. The printed message inside combines birthday greetings with a message about the importance of being immunised against Diphtheria. All the cards sent to Linda reflect the typography, imagery and graphic styles used for birthday cards in the 1940s; this card combines birthday and medical imagery with illustrations of both a cake and a syringe.

B.597-2016