So as I have started working through the magazines again, I have suddenly discovered this, a non-affiliated club, in Colchester.
More research discovers that they were first mentioned in Volume 10, No.106 of the `Cartophilic Notes and News` magazine,dated January 1982, as one of three clubs newly founded, the others being East Midlands and Lea Valley. They first appear in the "Editorial" as :
New Branches and Clubs, Welcome to three newcomers to our "Meeting Dates and Notices" page - The East Midlands Branch, the Colchester Cigarette Card Club and the Lea Valley Cigarette Card Club. All good wishes to you all! We hope to have news from Derby and Colchester for our next issue. One from Maurice Large of the Lea Valley is in these pages, but he has omitted mention of a very impressive Newsletter - "Pasteboard Press", photolitho print and illustrations. So congratulations on a very enterprising start
At the back of that edition the following details appear, but, strangely, under a different identity :
COLCHESTER & DISTRICT CARD COLLECTORS CLUB.
Secretary : S. Andrews. Meetings second Monday of each month at Christ Church, Ireton Road, Colchester, at 7.30 p.m.
These details remained the same until July/August 1982, and then in Vol.10, No.112 of the `Cartophilic Notes and News` magazine, dated for September 1982, it alters to :
COLCHESTER & DISTRICT CARD COLLECTORS CLUB.
Secretary : S. Andrews. Meetings second Monday of each month at Candor Motors, Colchester, at 7.30 p.m.
Candor Motors was in Magdalen Street, and has long gone, though it is still a car showroom, a Lookers Ford.
In Volume 11, No.119 of the `Cartophilic Notes and News` magazine, dated May/June 1983 these details are still the same, but we have a meeting date, on a Wednesday, the 8th of June 1983. However in the very next edition, we find the entry reads :
COLCHESTER & DISTRICT CARD COLLECTORS CLUB.
Wednesdays / 7 September / 12 October / 9 November / 14 December
Candor Motors, Magdalen Street, Colchester. (14 Dec. Holmwood House School, Lexden).
Secretary : P. North, Maldon.
In 1984 they added a fair (in March) and an A.G.M. (in May) to their advert.
In September of that year Mr. North was replaced by Mr. M. Napthan of Colchester. He relocated the meetings to Holmwood School full time. In 1986 the branch details were shortened, so though we know that Mr. Napthan remained secretary we do not know where they met. And from 1987 the non-affiliated branches were only sporadically listed in the magazine. So as yet I have no idea of when they closed, but maybe you do, and can tell us.