The Economic History Society and the Social History Society are co-sponsoring an international workshop on "Consumption and Standards of Living since the Eighteenth Century: Economic History, Social History, Cultural History," to be held at the University of Huddersfield on September 13, 2011. The full conference booklet, containing the program and paper abstracts, is now available on-line. In addition to multiple sessions, the conference will feature an opening address by Ian Gazeley, Professor of Economic History, University of Sussex, on "Standards of consumption, real incomes and nutrition in Britain, 1900-1940," and a closing talk by Jon Stobart, Professor of History, University of Northampton, on "Elite consumption in eighteenth-century England: fashion, status and personal preference." Registration information can be found on the Huddersfield website. Questions should be directed to the organizer, Dr. Paul Atkinson, at p.d.atkinson@hud.ac.uk.
The Princeton University Library has digitized a number of posters from the Interborough Rapid Transit Subway Company . The posters, designed by the public relations firm Ivy Lee, were displayed in subway cars to provide information to riders about changes in fares and routes, safety issues, and other matters of interest. The collection consists of 385 images dating from 1918 to 1932; many of them provide financial information about rates, company dividends, and a general look at an early rapid transit system. October 29, update: Jonathan Rees over at "More or Less Bunk" was moved by this post to go off in search of a better site, and found the massive collection of the London Transport Museum , which displays over 5,000 items in a searchable collection .
