The clue here was that the title on the card "Weather Forecast - unsettled". Not sure I understand the reference, except maybe the lady is feeling unsettled and is looking out of the window for someone else because her man is always too busy reading the paper. I asked "whether" anyone could add a more intelligent slant, and heard almost immediately from Malcolm Thompson, who spotted something I had missed - he says that the lady in yellow is looking pensive because if you look closely at the paper in the mans hand it says 'Bill' at the top, and what looks like a large total at bottom. He thinks she had been on a shopping spree, bought that yellow dress, and is worried he is about to find out the cost. I think that is probably right. Many thanks.
A notice about forthcoming weather was first printed in The Times on September 6, 1860. It was not called a weather forecast. This was provided by the Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade, managed by none other than Robert FitzRoy, who rather intriguingly, but privately, called his system of charts and plans "forecasting the weather"
You can read more about this at Medium/TheWeatherForecast and on the BBCNewsMagazine/FitzRoy which also tells of his very sad death.
The best description of this set comes from our Wills Book part one, which definitely spares no ink when it comes to describing this set! It says :
This set has also been recorded as "Well Known Sayings" and "Everyday Phrases". A series of 50. Size 2 5/8 x 1 3/8 ins. Numbered. Printed by A. Hildesheimer & Co. Issue date 1898. For home circulation.
There is also a set of fifty-two, similar to the above, but with two extra cards added, "A Highland Fling" (Ace of Hearts) and "Outward Bound" (Ten of Hearts). These were also produced by Hildesheimer but were circulated abroad.
Fronts in full colour, without framelines. All cards have "Wills`s Cigarettes" and numbers on fronts printed in brown ink. Backs printed in grey with Star and Circle ornamental design with "Ld." in circle.
There are two printings, and specialists can collect two sets both with and without playing card insets. The difference is a chocolate-brown ink as compared with a dark brown ink, which on some cards looks almost black.
There is no continuity in the suites of cards as related to the card numbers -
Card 1 Three Hearts
Card 2 Two Hearts
Card 3 Five Hearts
Card 4 Queen Diamonds
In our Wills Reference Book part two there has been a very slight change, it still directs you back to pages 13 and 14 of part one, which is where the above is from, but crucially splits the set into two sections : (A) Series of 50 WITHOUT playing card insets - and (B) Series of 52 with playing card insets. It mentions nothing of them being issued in different parts of the globe, nor the difference in the colour of the ink. Does this mean we are more cavalier now about printings, or is it a reflection that the cards have grown so expensive that to get a set at all even a mixed version is hard, and costly, enough?
Our original World Tobacco Index is similarly concise, simply saying "Double Meaning 1896 (A) Sm. Grey Scroll backs. Nd. See W/5 - A) without insets (50) - B) with playing card insets (52)."
And the updated millennial version says almost exactly the same, the difference being that it does not include the date.