Petrol Advertising in the Twenties and Thirties: The Case of the British Petroleum Company

Chronicles the British Petroleum Company through its formation in 1909 to 1939 (pre‐Second World War), following on from being a distribution company of the Anglo‐Persian Oil Company. Shows that by the outbreak of war in 1914 it owned over 850 depots, employing nearly 3,000 people. Posits that the war changed the position of the BP Company and its shipping company ‐ being classed as enemy concerns ‐ even though most employees were British. Documents the changes throughout the war years and chronicles with tables the changes right up to the Second World War, also includes copies of adverts used in BP's formative years including the time of the Great Depression and BP's merger with Shell Mex.