The back has come out rather blue as opposed to grey, but I will have a better go one day when it is less hectic!
This card shows the coat of arms for Kings Lynn - being a pelican on top of a shield bearing three dragons with crosses coming from their mouths. It refers to the story of St Margaret of Antioch, who was swallowed by a dragon who turned out to be the devil in disguise. However the cross she had with her at all times was displeasing to the devil and he spat her out (though some versions of the tale say that the cross grew hot and made him explode). Anyway this coat of arms shows the cross protruding from the devil`s mouth, in triplicate (not sure why)
Today this crest is different, for since 1983 the area has fallen under "Kings Lynn and West Norfolk". This has a seagull with a cross between its toes, and it is standing upright on top of a knight`s helmet. The three dragons heads and protruding crosses still remain but the shield is split into three with a dragon in each part and the part at the bottom is now gold with the dragon in blue. There are also now supporters, figures holding up the shield, they are often described as sea lions but they are actually the top halves of lions with fishy bottom halves, and curling tails with webs at the end.
This card is just one of the variations of this fascinating set, which are dealt with more fully in our blog "B for Borough Arms". That tells the differences in all the sets, and one day will include a sample back and front of every one.
This particular card we feature today is from Group 7 - Numbered set of 50, 101-150, numbered on the backs, and entirely new subjects on the fronts. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in grey, with descriptive texts and an album offer, which is also printed in grey. Marked "3rd Series"