So here we have another resident of Kings Lynn, George Vancouver. He was born there too, on June 22, 1757, one of six children.
When he was just thirteen, in 1771, he joined the Navy, maybe not, as they often say, to see the World, but he did do just that, and discovered brand new parts of it too. This was the most fortuitous time to join, for it meant he was able to sail with Captain Cook on his second voyage, searching for Australia, and his third, which discovered Hawaii. He did not return from these until 1780.
His best known expedition started in 1791, when he was almost forty. This took him along the north west coast of America and Canada, plus to Hawaii and Australia, and he did return home until 1795.
And yes, Vancouver is indeed named after him - in fact all of the Vancouvers, the settlements in Canada and the United States, plus the island in the Pacific Ocean, and even the mountains in Alaska and New Zealand.
Our card is from a company that never had a reference book devoted to it, and is often confused with the company A.M. Wix of South Africa. It does not help that the cards only say "Kensitas", which was the brand. Though oddly the South African Wix usually only put their brand "Max" on their cards too. Perhaps it was an attempt not to be stuck at the back of the book?
However we do know a little bit about them. They seem to have been established in 1898, by Julius Wix, a Russian. He was thirty-eight years old at the time. The address seems to have moved about rather frequently within East London being in Whitechapel from 1901 until 1911, perhaps 1912, though at more than one address. They then turn up in Commercial Road which takes then to the start of the First World War. They also had a rather grand retail address from the mid 1920s, of 174, 175 and 176, Piccadilly. And in the 1930s they had a factory in Stanley Road, Stratford, which manufactured their tins and packets.
Our World Tobacco Issues Indexes tell us that the cards of this set measure 70 x 40, are numbered, and a set of 50. Plus that they are a Kensitas brand issue.
This card is a rather famous one for it appears on the Commemorative card for our 2018 Convention, which was held at the same venue that we are visiting this week. Have a look by following the link in bold.
By the way are there any readers who have tired of twittering and moved to mastodon? If so do make yourself known to me at https://home.social/@tailsandretails