The Flickr Cityofliverpoolofficialguide Image Generatr

A fine colour advert as seen in Liverpool's c.1955 Official Industrial Handbook. This lavish book has an immense amount of information as to the work of the Corporation, the city's amenities and services as well as discriptions of the port, shipping services and industrial activities. These included the three municipally developed suburban trading estates at Aintree, Kirkby and Speke.

This advert for the Anfield based company of the Synchromatic Time Recording Co. Ltd. is enlivened by an image of one of their more recent 'special' jobs; the construction of the Guinness Festival Clock that was displayed at the 1951 Festival of Britain and was says the advert "the first large animated clock to be completely regulated by electrical control". Much of the machine was by Baume and Co Ltd. of Hatton Garden in London and the clock was at Battersea Gardens. It proved very popular and was eventually joined by two 'travelling' versions; sadly none have survived.

At first glance the design looks similar to the works of Rowland Emett, the cartoonist and designer of several highly whimsical kinetic sculpture and Automaton. However this was by "Lewitt-Him", the professional partnership of Jan Le Witt and George Him who were Polish graphic designers and poster artists who came to the UK in the 1930s and whose work was highly popular and recognisable, commissioned by many commercial clients. The partnership was dissolved in 1955.

Liverpool, although not unique, was one of the local authorities who chose not to use a specialist publisher of official guides. Instead it worked with the local printers Littlebury Brothers. Indeed, the company produced many other Corporation publications such as the tramways and transport maps and guides.

The unusual format contains much information as to the city's governance, services, amenities and industry with many pages of text, photography and adverts. The cover shows the City's coat of arms that allude to the port and shipping interests and that includes two appearances of the cormorant more commonly referred to in the city as the "liver bird".