---
title: "Keep Calm and Carry On"
canonical: "https://openvibe.meme/m/keep-calm-and-carry-on"
updated: null
---

# Keep Calm and Carry On

HTML: [Keep Calm and Carry On](https://openvibe.meme/m/keep-calm-and-carry-on)

Internet meme · Classic

# Keep Calm and Carry On

A phrasal template originally a UK government motivational poster from 1939 intended to raise morale; rediscovered in 2000 and subsequently used broadly.

- First seen: 1939-01-01
- Last seen: 2026-10-31
- Uses cited: 3
- Revision: 2

## Where it started

Keep Calm and Carry On was a motivational poster produced by the Government of the United Kingdom in 1939 in preparation for World War II. The poster was intended to raise the morale of the British public, threatened with widely predicted mass air attacks on major cities. Although 2.45 million copies were printed, and the Blitz did in fact take place, the poster was only rarely publicly displayed and was little-known until a copy was rediscovered in 2000 at Barter Books, a bookshop in Alnwick. It has since been re-issued by a number of private companies, and has been used as the decorative theme for a range of products. Evocative of the Victorian belief in British stoicism — the "stiff upper lip", self-discipline, fortitude, and remaining calm in adversity — the poster has become recognised around the world. It was thought that only two original copies survived until a collection of approximately 15 was brought in to the Antiques Roadshow in 2012 by the daughter of an ex-Royal Observer Corps member. A few further examples have come to light since.

## The use timeline

1. 1939-01-01

    

   A phrasal template or snowclone that was originally a motivational poster produced by the UK government in 1939 intended to raise public morale. It was rediscovered in 2000, became increasingly used during the 2009 global recession, and has spawned various parodies and imitations.
2. 1939-01-01

    

   Wikidata Q633603: Keep Calm and Carry On — motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939. First recorded: 1939-00-00T00:00:00Z.

## Examples

No example is attached yet.

 How was this page documented?

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