Mostly self-taught, Nottingham born Patrick (Pat) Cokayne Keely designed posters for London Transport, the Southern Railway and the Post Office. During the war Keely designed some of his best work working for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the Ministry of Information.

His work, at the time, particularly stood out for its use of simple objects together with rich colours making extremely striking images. His wartime posters are, undoubtedly, some of the best of the genre.