This card had two clues, the easy one was that this footballer`s surname is Brown and Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd, is the scientist who invented the DeLorean Time Machine. The harder clue is that the film is set in Hill Valley, California, and this card was issued by Hill.
Jack Brown was a nickname, he was born John Henry Brown in March 1899. His first team was not the signing for Worksop, for he had played in junior teams first. At the time of our card he was a goalkeeper, though he did not start out as so - he played centre forward, until the fateful day that the team needed a goalkeeper.
He can also be seen, looking rather less pugnacious, in Carreras Ltd`s 1934 set of "Footballers", the reverse of which card tells us he was born in Worksop and started with the local team before being signed by Sheffield Wednesday in 1923. And by the time of the Carreras card he was also an international player, with two League Championship Medals.
In fact he played most of his life with Sheffield Wednesday, only briefly going to Hartlepool United, in 1937, when he was transferred. However he only played in one match for them, and then made the decision to retire. He was only 38. After his retirement he did not take the usual route of training, or coaching, and he never managed a team. Instead he managed an off-licence, and a pub, then set up as a newsagent. He died in April 1962, aged 63.
So to card chat. You may be wondering why this is Series B? And the answer is within our original reference book to the issues of R. & J. Hill (RB.2), published in 1942, where this set is catalogued in two parts, as :
1934. 30. POPULAR FOOTBALLERS. "Series A" (titled series). Size 2 11/16" x 1 7/8". Numbered 1-30. Fronts, printed in black only from half-tone blocks - black and white - black border line and white margins. Backs, printed in black only, with descriptions, and inscribed, "Season 1934-5". "Issued only with the `Economy` Cigarettes - Gold Flake Honeydew . . . ." No maker`s name appears anywhere. (See Henry Archer & Co.) Printed by W. Oliver, London"
1934. 20. POPULAR FOOTBALLERS. "Series B" (titled series). Size 2 11/16" x 1 7/8". Numbered 31-50. Fronts, printed in black only, from half-tone blocks - black and white - black border line and white margins. Backs, printed in black only with descriptions, and inscribed, "Season 1934-5". "Issued only with the `Economy` Cigarettes - Gold Flake Honeydew . . . ." No maker`s name appears anywhere. (See Henry Archer & Co.) Printed by W. Oliver, London.
Our World Tobacco Issues Indexes describe it simply as :
POPULAR FOOTBALLERS - SEASON 1934-5. Md. 68 x 48. Black and white. Brand issue, inscribed "Gold Flake Honeydew & Navy Cut Medium. ..."
1. "Series A." Nd. 1/30 (30)
2. "Series B". Nd. 31/50 (20)