Patrick Cokayne Keely was a designer of posters, press advertisements and trade matter. Before the Second World War Keely designed posters for London Transport, the Southern Railway, the Post Office and the British Aluminium Company. Keely designed several posters during the Second World War, including some for the GPO and accident prevention posters for ROSPA and the Ministry of Labour and National Service (MOLNS). His work at this time was 'distinguished by the use of a few objects or symbols put together in a gay and sprightly fashion to make an odd and arresting visual message', although the use of rich colour was unusual. Pay Keely also designed work for the British Aluminium Company. He was a member of the Society of Industrial Artists and of the Alliance Graphique Internationale. Keely's thoughts on poster design are clear from articles in Advertiser's Weekly. His technique was to 'deliver the message in shorthand, which is never-the-less understandable to everybody'.

Information taken from: London Transport Museum Database, February 2000, Darracott, J. and Loftus, B., Second World War Posters, 1981 (1972), p.39, Keely, P., 'Better Posters Can Build Up Public's Interest', Advertiser's Weekly, December 9 1943, p.257