This object is displayed in the Protesting section of the People Gallery.
This Trade Union banner probably dates from the late 1920s or early 1930s, and belonged to the Transport & General Workers Union, Confectionary Workers Section. It was used by the workers at Fry's factory, Somerdale.
The side displayed shows scenes of sugar cane harvesting, chocolate manufacture, and cocoa pod picking. The image shows what the other side looks like. The spires of Bristol's skyline can be seen beneath the figures in the foreground. The block at the lower edge is an old repair and has not been altered by Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives as it is part of the banners history.
George Tutill, the maker of the banner, set up shop in the late 1830s. He was based in Buckinghamshire and had a clear monopoly on banner production - probably about 80 per cent of the banners in the BMGA collection are made by Tutill.
The museum holds a collection of Trade Union banners and they aim to rotate these as part of gallery refreshment. All the banners are painted silk, making them incredibly fragile. No textiles should be displayed for long periods of time, but the weight of the paint on the silk makes these banners especially prone to splitting.
Images of the previous banner can be seen online, using the Museum's collections database. Search under 'banner' for all banners, or TA3666 to find the exact one that was on display.