In 1937 the recruitment of L.W.J. (Laurie) Hancock to the post of Sales Promotion Manager brought a step change to the publicity of the Perkins marque. One of his innovative creations was a monthly ‘diary’, called simply the ‘Perkins Reminder’. Issued every month, this pocket-sized booklet contained space for engagements and a page for each day of that month – but small messages about Perkins products ensured this useful publication became a subtle tool in the battle for engine sales.

Unfortunately we do not have copies of the earliest issues but tracing back from the 100^th Reminder in January 1946 it appears that the first appearance must have been in September 1937, close to the launch of the iconic P6 engine. The regular publication continued right through the war years, with appropriate cover pictures and inside cover text as well as a daily ‘bon mot’ to cheer, encourage or just amuse the readers.

In early issues the end pages carried useful information about postal charges and lighting-up times, as well as a full year’s calendar. After the victory, the Reminder gradually changed content, carrying more product information, monthly indicators of ‘what’s on’ in terms of exhibitions, sports events, concerts, etc.. Laurie’s team added a wide variety of quotations, jokes and quips, often involving the fictitious employees Fifinella, Horace and Joe – who often appeared in cartoons throughout the ‘Perkins News’ of the time. Many of the snippets might today be frowned upon as not politically correct or sexist- but many were funny or thought-provoking.

The wide variety of cover illustrations used through the years shows that the promotions staff were always searching for something new and of wide interest. From landscape pictures, comedians and glamorous ‘pin-ups’ they graduated to line drawings of everything imaginable, often with a theme carried through the year. Their efforts were always anonymous, which seems a shame!

The final issue of May 1972 recorded a run approaching forty years, with worldwide distribution and a total of 12,000,000 copies, all produced by Peterborough Central Printers Limited, whose premises adjoined the Queen Street factory. The final ‘editorial’ claimed that it had ‘tip-toed through the years, never blatant, never over-garrulous, disseminating fragments of what we hope was useful information’. There is no doubt that its demise was mourned by many and we are grateful that so many examples have survived, thanks to our own squirrels and those at Central Printers.

A selection of ‘Reminders’ can be seen in the Heritage Centre displays.