This card ties another loose end, as if you look on the back you will see it mentions the fact that the cards were also being issued with "Comic Life" - and we featured one of those cards as our Card of the Day on the 10th of January 2026. Both those magazines are listed as separate entities in our original British Trade Index, but were actually owned by Amalgamated Press, at least when these cards were issued in 1922 - but both were formerly published by James Henderson & Sons Ltd.
So lets start with what we have found out about Lot-O`-Fun. This was a weekly children`s newspaper/comic that was started on the 17th of March, 1906 by James Henderson & Sons. James Henderson was a Glaswegian who started out by printing other newspapers and magazines, and is best known today for getting a bit of a coup, and being the first to serialise Robert Louis Stevenson`s "Treasure Island". He ought also to be remembered for issuing the first ever British comic, "Funny Folks" in 1874.
Amalgamated Press kept "Lot-O`-Fun" going several years longer than "Comic Life", until the 16th of February, 1929, when it was merged with "Crackers"
Now I have already been told several times that this card has something rather vital missing, and that is because they were issued in pairs. Thanks to all the eagle eyed readers who pointed this out, it all adds to the fun, and I would probably have never spotted it, though there is a bit of a clue at the bottom of the card, where it says "TWO more Sports Champions in this week`s "Comic-Life".
The entry for this part of the set in our original British Trade Index reads as follows :
LOT-O`-FUN
Periodical. Cards issued in 1922.
- SPORTS CHAMPIONS. Sm. 70 x 44. Black glossy photos, doubles each showing two footballers. Nd. 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 (4). Dated 30.9.22 to 21.10.22 ... LOM-01
This remains unaltered until our updated British Trade Index, when the entry reads :
LOT-O`-FUN
Periodical. Issued in 1922
- SPORTS CHAMPIONS. 70 x 43. Black glossy photos of footballers. Issued as four pairs, Nd 1/8, and dated Sep. 30th - Oct. 21st, 1922 ....LOT-020
The following list details who is in this part of the set, and who their partner originally was. And that actually proves the above wrong, because they are not all footballers. Unfortunately I have not been able to track down a number one, so if you have that please let us have the details.
- September 30th, 1922 - A.G Hill - One Mile Running Champion of England
- October 7th, 1922 - Andrew Ducat - Fulham Half-back and International Footballer and Cricketer
- October 7th, 1922 - Joe Beckett - Heavy-weight Champion of England
- October 14th, 1922 - B. Howard Baker - Chelsea Goalkeeper and Champion High jumper
- October 14th, 1922 - Tom Wilson - Captain of Huddersfield, winners of the Cup, 1921-22
- October 21st, 1922 - A. Layton - Captain Stockport County, Champions of 3rd Division (North), 1921-22
- October 21st, 1922 - W. Meredith - Champion International. Outside Right of Manchester City. Played for Wales 50 times