This was a non-affiliated club founded by John Knowles of Hale in Cheshire in 1978, who was also a huge part of the East Anglian Card Collectors Club, being their Auctioneer from 1981 until 2004 and their Chairman from 1987 until 2004, despite the fact that he lived in Manchester, and travelled across every month to attend.
The first Timperley Annual General Meeting took place on Sunday the 11th of March 1979, which seems to point to March being the starting month. As a souvenir of this event, regular attenders were given a set of Tommy Gunn “Medals”, but with a difference as they had the usual plain backs specially overprinted with “TIMPERLEY CARD COLLECTORS Presented to a Timperley Regular on the occasion of the first A.G.M. held on Sunday, 11th March, 1979. John Knowles.” These are listed in our British Trade Index part 3 as TIJ-1 and it also says that they are identical to anonymous set ZJ9-47, which was the Tommy Gunn "Medals"
That was not Timperley`s only card issue, for they also issued sets showing notable cartophilists. The reverse of the first series cards were printed to say they were given away at the "2nd AGM of T.C.C., on 9.3.80" which again is March.
These cards ran to thirteen series and each set contained ten cards - but they will be listed at the end, to save slowing down the action as it were.
The September/October 1985 edition of “Cartophilic Notes and News” (Vol.13, No.133, p3713) gives more details of this club, said to be a success story from the North, where “John Knowles has successfully created the World`s largest card club”. They had well-attended meetings, and auctions with the sort of stock that encouraged attendance from all corners of the land. And they were also the first card club to hold a two day event.
. In the July-August 1987 edition of “CNN” (No.144 - its volume 14, but this information is missing from the magazine), a half page advert appeared for the club’s 9th Annual Rally, on Sunday September 13th, 9.30 am – 5.30 pm. This was to be attended by forty-two dealers, and there would be a major auction, to include sets of Taddy “Clowns”, Singleton “Atlantic Liners”, Wills “Soldiers” with the drummer, Woods “Yeomanry”, Faulkner “Kings & Queens”, Hudden “Boxers”, South Wales Tobacco “London” etc., plus types Wills “Collotypes”, Taddy “Klondyke”, rare cricket, etc. We will get that scanned and entered as we start the big update!
In 1999 they even hosted the Cartophilic Society Convention at Winsford. The commemorative card for that year was based on Alice in Wonderland, because, as the reverse tells us, Lewis Carroll was a Cheshire man.
The following year I have a record that they were meeting at Green Lane High School in Altrincham. The dates given, February 13th, and March 12th, 2000 were both Sundays.
However in 2011 came the sad announcement that John Knowles could not continue beyond the end of that year and the club closed.
TIMPERLEY CARD COLLECTORS "TIMPERLEY TYPES"
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"A series of Ten".
Cards are : 1. John Knowles - 2. Albert Dron - 3. Eddie Dawson - 4. Cyril Doorbar - 5. Henry Delves -- 6 Mrs. I Thomas - 7. Rod Harper - 8. N.K. Wardleworth - 9. Miss J.S. Knowles - 10. Mike Prior.
Reverse text says "Presented to a "Regular" at the 2nd AGM of T.C.C., on 9.3.80" -
"A Second Set of Ten" - :
cards are : 11. W. Morgan - 12. P.J. & J. Suter - 13. J. Nott - 14.T. E. Part - 15. Mrs. N. Dawson - 16. S.T. Donaghue - 17. E. Bentley - 18. D.C. Aldridge - 19. J.E. Wareham - 20.J.W.E. Beckett.
Reverse text says "Presented to a "Regular" at the 3rd AGM of T.C.C., on 8.3.81" -
"A Third series of Ten" numbered 21-30, and dated 1981-82
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"A Fourth series of Ten" numbered 31-40, and dated 1982-83
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"A Fifth series of Ten" numbered 41-50, and dated December 1982
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"A Sixth series of Ten"
cards are : 51.Mrs. M.J. Payne - 52. R.M. Plant - 53. P. Hirst - 54. D.G. Lewis - 55. J.S. Brayshaw - 56. W.I. Lumsden - 57. The Don - 58. E. Newton - 59. B. & H.G. Jones - 60. D.G. Thorp
Reverse text says "Issued with "The Bugle" during the club`s sixth year 1983-1984.
I have seen cards overprinted in mauve with "NEVER ABSENT NEVER LATE" -
"A Seventh series of Ten"
cards are : 61. L.A. Margiotta - 62. E Hicks - 63. H Wright - 64. G. McWilliam - 65. Mrs. D. Delves - 66. A.J. Thomas - 67. C.C. Cane - 68. H. Norris - 69. W.R. Brierley - 70. A.J.B.
Reverse says "Presented with the Xmas 1983 edition of "The Bugle" -
"An Eighth series of Ten" numbered 71-80, and dated 1986-1987
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"A Nineth (sic) series of Ten" numbered 81-90, and dated 1986-87
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"A Tenth series of Ten" numbered 91-100, and dated 1986-87
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"An Eleventh series of Ten" numbered 101-110, and dated 1987-88
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"A Twelfth series of Ten" numbered 111-120, and dated 1987-88
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"A Thirteenth series of Ten" numbered 121-130, and dated 1987-88
this is to be continued ! All help gladly accepted....