Our third clue showed famous Nottinghamshire player Harold Larwood. He was born on November 14, 1904, at Nuncargate. This is now part of Kirkby in Ashfield, but at one time was a small village, in a rather damp area of the county, and almost certainly containing some kind of religious building. We know that because of the name, which is supposed to derive from "Nun`s Marsh".
This set was totally unknown to me when I was sent this scan, but it has a fascinating, and, yet fully untold, tale. Lets start it with our original Wills reference book part four, or RB.16, published in 1950, where it is described as :
177. CRICKET SEASON , 1928-29. Unnumbered. Fronts : Photo-prints in black and white. Backs in black, inscribed "This real photograph is one of a series of English & Australian cricketers. W. D. & H. O. Wills." The series was obviously issued in Australia in the autumn of 1928 to herald the arrival of the M.C.C. touring side captained by Mr. A. F. P. Chapman. All 17 members of this side appear in the series, and a total of 27 prominent Australian players is known : it appears probable that the series comprises 44 subjects :-
and then they are listed. Bit rushed for time right now, but if I get time this week I will scan that, though it does not help that the list is over two pages, and it will need some tinkering to put them in the right order.. so it would probably be quicker to just type it!
Anyway in the next Wills reference book, that being part 5, RB.19, issued in 1951, there is a bit more, because it tells us that :
...four additional subjects have been seen". These are all Australians, namely :
45. E. L. A`Beckett, Vic.
46. T. J. E. Andrews, N.S.W.
47. R. H. Bettington, N.S.W.
48. J. D. Scott, S. Aust".
Now what this does not seem to mention is that I have looked at quite a few cards now, and the position of the back cartouche wanders about wildly from side to side. Maybe it is was just taken as a given that to get a set with lovely centered backs would be a lifetime`s job and then some.
So then to our original World Tobacco Issues Index, where this set was very elusive, but after a hunt, I eventually found them, in Wills Section 3C, where the header is "Issues 1922-29. Backs inscribed "W. D. & H. O. Wills`s World Renowned Cigarettes", unless stated." The description is simply : "CRICKET SEASON, 1928-29. Sm. Black and white photos. Unnd. (48). Inscribed "W. D. & H. O. Wills". See W/177" - and this text is exactly the same in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, though the card code has altered, but they are now in section 4C - because section 3 now covers the post 1960s Wills` issues which were included with brands like Castella, Embassy, etc.