David Gentleman's original brief had been to design a set of stamps about Trade Unionism, but the title had hurriedly been changed to the less politically charged one of Social Reformers. The series comprises four stamps commemorating the work of important nineteenth century reformers.

Instead of portraying these campaigners through portraiture, the more traditional approach to celebrating individual achievement, Gentleman concentrated on the evils that each reformer wanted to eradicate. Thomas Hepburn, the pioneer of the first miners union is represented by the hewing of coal, the visionary cotton mill owner Robert Owen by the pulley-wheels and belts of the textile factory, Lord Shaftesbury, the campaigner for improved working conditions, is represented by the brush of a chimney sweep, and Elizabeth Fry, champion of women prisoners, by the bars of a cell.

A visual theme running throughout all four is the symbolic use of hands. Using strong imagery, the stamps dramatise the shared suffering experienced by many of the underprivileged in nineteenth century society. The harsh and repetitive conditions are underlined by the repeating patterns of a block or sheet of stamps.

The working sketches show how this idea gradually took shape.

Illustrations

Hewing Coal (Thomas Hepburn)

Machinery (Robert Owen)

Chimney Cleaning (Lord Shaftesbury)

Hands clutching Prison Bars (Elizabeth Fry)