ADVERTISEMENTS are an important part of every newspaper and, like the stories themselves, can tell a tale about the times and changing attitudes.

The pages of the Malvern Gazette on September 21, 1951 are a good example.

One of the most eye-catching was by the Midland Electricity Board, now npower, which used the fact that 200,000 TV licences had been issued since the opening of the Sutton Coldfield transmitter to show the part electricity plays in life.

Opposite it, the National Savings Committee had its own message, "We must be strong for peace", financing re-arming through the Lend Strength to Britain Savings Campaign.

Perhaps the biggest change is the advertising industry's depiction of women. Under the heading "I want to kiss the new cook!", a man chides his wife (Mrs Beginner) for the secret of her skills.

She ascribes it to mother and Marmite, news which prompts him to say: "Bravo darling - carry on with the good cooking - with Marmite".

Not everything has changed though, there is an advert promoting the use of British food, in this case pigs, from the makers of Marsh Hams made "in the interests of national nutrition" and saying "if meat is going to be tight, let's grow our own".