Selling a World of Goods - Trade Cards in Georgian London

Fascinating online lecture from the Foundling Museum looking at Georgian trade cards.

Jon Stobart from Manchester Metropolitan University set out clearly what these cards can tell us about the retail trade in London in the 18th century and how they changed over the period. He had great illustrations mainly from the John Johnson Collection of Trade Cards.

I was particularly interested in the cards which showed pictures of the shops and sometimes how the service worked. I loved one of a lady trying on shoes and another of a couple sitting at a counter being shown goods by the shop keeper.

I was also interested to learn that in the 1770s London banned shop signs as they were a hazard to traffic so shop fronts became more important for marketing the goods. Also that in this period the numbering of buildings on street was introduced but before that the shops had to give quite detailed descriptions of where they were such as “St Paul’s churchyard opposite the tree”.

Who would have thought you could learn so much from such simple, ephemeral items.

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