Reading & District Cigarette Card & Postcard Club

A QUICK CHAT ABOUT OUR MEETINGS

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A LOOK INTO THE READING ARCHIVES

• 1. As part of the Cameric Cigarette Card Club

The first mention of a card club in the Reading area that we have yet discovered was part of the Cameric Cigarette Card Club. This appears in their club magazine, called "Notes and News", Volume 2 of the "New Series", issue number 4 – copy dated October 1947, where, at the bottom of the very first page, it says :

READING BRANCH
We are pleased to announce the formation of a new Cameric Branch, this time at Reading, by Mr. C. W. J. Long.
After contacting about 12 members living in the neighbourhood a meeting was arranged. Unfortunately the holiday season was in full swing and only 3 attended, but it was decided to hold monthly meetings and it is hoped that all members interested will endeavour to make our new venture a success by being present at the next meeting.
Please write for full particulars to Branch Secretary :-
Mr. C. W. J. Long, 87 Salisbury Road, Reading

Here’s wishing our new Branch every success. Such enterprise deserves full support. Good luck to you.                                                                                                                                F.V. BLOWS.

This made Reading the third Cameric Branch, following those at Bournemouth and Lancashire.

In the next edition of the magazine, dated November 1947, the Branch has been included as part of the "Branch News" section. Sadly, for us historians, this section begins by saying that “The latest news of Branch activities will, in future, be included in the Club`s Postal Auction inserts" and these are now very rare. If this had been included in the magazines we would have had a grand source to regale you from. However there is a short write up which did at least give the venue of their next meeting, and this reads : 

Reading Branch
This new Branch extends a hearty welcome to collectors and members for miles around to join us at the Trade Union Club, Minister Street, Reading, on Thursday, 18th December, at 7 p.m. Please get in touch with Branch Secretary, Mr. C. W. Long, 87, Salisbury Road, Reading.

This Trade Union Club was not the original, which had opened in 1914 along the Oxford Road, it was instead the larger second premises, to which they had relocated in 1924, and at where they would remain until 1989.

From then on, if there is a mention of the Reading Branch, it is simply a small monthly snippet giving the Secretary’s address and venue, as above. However in January 1948 (Vol.2 NS No.7) there is a piece which reads :

READING BRANCH
The third meeting of the Reading Branch was held on 13th November and four members attended. An interesting discussion was held on cards and a system of exchanging on catalogue value, irrespective of condition, was instituted, which works very satisfactorily. It is hoped that more members will attend on 17th December, at 7 p.m., at The Trade Union Club, Minister Street, Reading, Room 4 or 1a, whichever is available. Full particulars from the Branch Secretary Mr. C. W. J. LONG 87 Salisbury Road, Reading

And whilst the front page of Notes & News for February 1948 (Vol.2 NS No.8) simply urges readers to drop a line to the Branch Secretary for particulars of forthcoming meetings, and gives the meeting venue, later on in the same edition there is a report which says :

Reading Branch
A full attendance on January 15th. Look out London – we are expanding! Six members and one visitor attended. The latter was handed a membership form and by now … ?
An enjoyable programme of exchanging was carried out and it was arranged to book rooms for twelve months ahead. Dates of next meetings in room 1 or 4 : Thursday Feb. 19th and Thursday March 11th at 7.15 p.m. C.W.J. LONG

I next pick their story up courtesy of the L.C.C.C. "Cigarette Card News" for November/December 1954 (Vol.20 No.237) in which there is an advertisement box for the Cameric Cigarette Card Club and it states "Branches in Lancashire (Manchester), Yorkshire (Leeds), Bournemouth and Reading. And apart from adding Branches this advert remains until 1959, which is the last edition I have.

However when the Cameric merged with the Cartophilic Society, in 1964, Reading was not listed amongst the Branches which Cartophilic members could now attend, So if anyone has any post 1954 copies of Cameric Notes and News, and they see either more information, or a notice of closure, please do let me know....

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• 2. As part of the Cartophilic Society

The first mention I have of a Reading Branch of the Cartophilic Society appears in the "Cartophilic Notes & News" magazine for May/June 1974. This appears in the transcription of the President`s Report, which was originally delivered at the Annual General Meeting, as a round up of events which have transpired at any time since the last one took place.

The mention of Reading comes under the section on Branches - and it reads :

The old Reading Branch has been reformed under the name of the Reading and Berkshire District Branch [and are] holding meetings at the residence of the Secretary, Mr T. J. Blay, 57 Queensway, Caversham Park Village, Reading, Berkshire. As interest and membership grows, it is hoped to hold meetings in a suitable hall. 

Whether the first line of this refers to the old "Cameric" Branch of twenty years ago, or to a later "Cartophilic" one that I have not yet discovered, is not yet known. But this new Reading Branch has also been also added to the list of Branches, and dates for the remainder of 1974 were included, namely : 

All meetings on Wednesday; 19th June, 4th September, 2nd October (A.G.M.), 6th November, 4th December. All meetings at 7.45 p.m. at the address of the Secretary, who should be contacted beforehand if attendance is intended. 

In November/December of the same year (Vol.5 No.60), there is this very sad news:

This definitely supports the theory that this new version of the Reading Branch was started in October 1973. Whether this was accidentally, or deliberately planned as a tribute to the days of the Cameric Branch are as yet unknown. 

Web Master`s Note : This gap between 1973 and 1997 is because I am waiting to get the index finished and then I can start from scratch gathering details from all my magazines with the index on hand. But I found the above bits whilst hunting for card data! 

We know that by September 1997 we were moved to the Rugby Club at Sonning instead of an undisclosed location in Loddon, Twyford, but we still also met at Charvil Village Hall in Twyford. 

There is a full report of the Club Christmas Party in the Card Times Magazine for February 2000. This reads :

The enthusiastic and immensely organised Reading and District Card Club combined its Christmas party at Charvil Village Hall with its AGM. The Reading club has just over 100 members and manages a monthly attendance of 30-plus. The club also meets twice a month - at Charvil and also at Woodley Airfield Centre. The Reading Christmas festivities included a musical `cabaret` spot by Gerry Wray and a buffet prepared by Margaret Hussey , wife of chairman Ken Hussey, and her band of helpers. 
The club also organised a publicity stall at Maidenhead`s `Leisure Alive` Fair on January 8th, part of its ongoing publicity campaign for the hobby. And the eagerly awaited Annual Reading Jamboree is to be held at the Rivermead Centre on Sunday July 2.

At this time Brian Eighteen was the Secretary. By the way the Woodley Airfield Centre was converted to The Museum of Berkshire Aviation, and this could explain why that venue was lost.

As for our Annual Fair at Rivermead Leisure Centre, well that was cancelled to comply with covid restrictions in June 2020, and after these were relaxed it was announced that it was to undergo major building works - with no firm date for them to end. 

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