The LNER Encyclopedia

I am particularly interested in further information regarding Cecil Dandridge who revolutionised the LNER 'brand' in the late 1920s by having Gill Sans used as the standard uniform typeface throughout the network

Being a typographer I am aware of Gill's work, his article written about the Flying Scotsman, as well as an essay written by Dandridge for the Penrose Annual of Graphic Arts in 1937. I have written a little about Dandridge on my blog at

http://stoneletters.wordpress.com/2011/ ... -the-lner/

However, I would like to find out more about Dandridge, and so far I have been unable to unearth anything further.

Perhaps there is material in the LNER archives that have not been examined?

I live in Australia (though English by birth) which makes access to libraries in the UK difficult, to say the least!

Look forward to any help your members may be able to provide.

There is plenty to read in relation to Cecil Dandridge in the L&NER Magazine. He wrote a regular page, headed 'Advertising Notes', following his appointment to the post of Advertising Manager at the beginning of 1928.

For a taster there is an announcement of his appointment, which is also accompanied by his portrait, in the magazine of March 1928. [direct quotation removed]

Dandridge remained Advertising Manager until 1945, combining that duty with those of the Asst. Passenger Manager (Southern Area) from 1942 and Passenger Manager (Southern Area) from 1944. From 1945 he held the latter position only.

There are also many references in the Magazine to Eric Gill, including his account of a trip on The Flying Scotsman which you mention. There is a tribute written by Dandridge following Gill's death in 1940.

The L&NER Magazine is now available on 2 DVDs from the GER Society at http://www.gersociety.org.uk/images/sto ... ER_DVD.pdf

Cecil Gerald Graham Dandridge is easy to find in the 1911, 1901 and 1891 censuses, which are accessible online.

Hope this helps.

Dear 61070

That is immensely helpful - what an extraordinary early life he had.

I will certainly get hold of the DVDs you mention. I'd be very keen to read his appreciation of Gill for instance.

If I may I will post your information about Dandridge on my blog.

With kind regards John

You will find out lots more in the LNER Magazine for sure. The info in my last posting is copied, or derived from, the Magazine so there's no problem in using it.*

* this is clearly not the case - see the post below. The insert in the DVD case requests that copies of the discs themselves are not made and distributed (and that interested parties are referred to the GER Society for sale copies - as in this instance), but I overlooked that this would apply to relatively short extracts too. We have to admire and respect the investment of time and money that the Society and others have made in providing this marvellous resource. So a line to the Society requesting Ts & Cs for the use on your blog of anything derived from the republished digital edition is the way to go on this.

61070 wrote:You will find out lots more in the LNER Magazine for sure. The info in my last posting is copied, or derived from, the Magazine so there's no problem in using it.

Ooops - whilst the original printed LNER Magazine is, generally, out of copyright anything abstracted from the version digitised, indexed and produced in electronic form on the optical media referred to is COPYRIGHT the Great Eastern Railway Society 2010 and the usual rules apply - own personal use/research ok - copied into blog that can be read by unrestricted readership across the world - really not on, without the express permission of the copyright owner.

Sorry about that - should have given it more thought. I've removed the direct quotation from my initial response, and added a reference to your message in a note added to my follow-up post. I hope this will set things straight.

61070 wrote:Sorry about that - should have given it more thought. I've removed the direct quotation from my initial response, and added a reference to your message in a note added to my follow-up post. I hope this will set things straight.

No probs, and thanks for your sensible and understanding resolution.

There is nothing to stop anyone using these DVDs (or other sources) for either casual and informative browsing (and you can spend a lot of time doing that), or for research. To 'copy and paste' is infringement, but to extract, analyse, cross-check, compare and contrast, and present your own conclusions converts research into your own material, always providing acknowledgement is made to refute any charge of plagiarism.