Once upon a time, before TV reduced attention-span to 30 seconds or less, an advertising campaign based on historical figures appeared on the London Underground. It was one of those rare occasions when the public enjoyed being able to suggest their own strokes of genius to the advertiser, and, even rarer, a new sentence entered the language. The tag-line on which all the posters ended was: There is no substitute for wool.

There is no substitute for In this entertaining book Richard Proctor has brought together the winning wool rhymes from the 1950s, illustrated by the famous cartoonists of the time including Mahood, Hewison and Petty; It provides an insight into the British sense of humour and what appealed to Londoners in the language of the day.

The verses also bring to life in an amusing way much of the history of the Western World from Greek legends to the first satellite. For those who wish to learn or have just forgotten the editor provides some helpful notes to explain the references or jog the memory. There is no substitute for is an entertainment which is also educational.

Published at £20 in a fully bound hard cover edition, with a Foreword by H R H The Princess Royal, this is your opportunity to place an order for just £15 including P&P within the UK. For those with an interest in history, textiles, advertising or simply an English sense of humour, this book is a must, and ideal as a gift for your friends.

If you like to place an order, Please