Now for our second clue we have chosen this, and I have to say it is very appropriate with all the New Year`s Day parades. And the reason for this is that Alfred Jones` father was a mill worker, but an uncle bred horses, and when Alfred left school he went to work up there. Two of our later cards this week tell us that this establishment trained hunters and racehorses, and during this time he also became a jockey for the yard, riding at several races. He must have liked it, and also must have been good, because in 1925 he joined the Household Cavalry in 1925, hence this card of them at parade. Of course he was way too young to be one of the men on this card, but it is definitely a stirring image, and for a keen horseman it must have been a wonderful life.
This set appears in our original Wills Reference Book, where it states that it comes in two formats and that not all the cards have been seen in both. This was updated in Wills Book part two, because all the missing cards had been found, so yes, it is possible to find a set in both the printings. The difference in those printings relates to the arrow decoration that appears around the reverse framelines. Type A is a wider arrow, in which the lines do not touch, and it measures about 2 m/m across. Type B is a narrower arrow, all joined up, and this measures about 1 m/m across.
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The cards start with number 1 who is Edward VII H.M. The King. There are two printings available, one has him looking sideways and the other full face. So that makes four possible versions, with both the arrow styles. Card 2 is Queen Alexandra H.M. The Queen.
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Cards 3 to 9 then show you the ceremony, and the procession, which our card forms part of.
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Cards 10 to 28 are the prominent attenders from our shores.
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Cards 29 and 30 show the English and Scottish Regalia, in that order.
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Cards 31 to 32, 34 to 38, and 52 to 60 show prominent attenders from Europe and Overseas.
The missing ones from the above run are :
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Card 33 - Prince Edward of Wales, who seems a bit out of place, and grumpy, despite his sailor suit.
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Cards 39 - 49 which are Royal Residences and places of interest.
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Cards 50 and 51 which are the Archbishops of Canterbury and of York, in that order.
Now our reference book tells us that the cards were printed by Oppenheimer, but I cannot track them down. Does anyone know more?