The clue here was the player`s surname, Douglas. For it is in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, that the R.N.L.I. were founded, and that they continue to maintain their head office - at Douglas Lifeboat House, on the South Quay. It was also one of the first thirty-one areas of the British Isles to actually be chosen to have a lifeboat, and one arrived there in 1802.
That first lifeboat station had a bit of a chequered career and closed in the early 1850s, however it did reopen about twenty years after, in 1868. However in 1874 a second station was built nearby, and this superseded the first base, which was closed forever in 1895.
Douglas was also the home of the founder of the R.N.L.I., Sir William Hillary. He was a retired solicitor, who had the idea of what he called "A National Institution for the Preservation of Lives and Property from Shipwreck" in 1823, and went as far as publishing a little booklet about how it would work, which he sent to anyone he thought would listen. This included the British Navy and Parliament, who were totally uninterested. It was only when other people came on board, including a few Members of Parliament, and a public meeting was staged, that the idea gained ground. Shortly after that the King (George IV) agreed to be the patron, and the current Prime Minister, Robert Banks Jenkinson (whose only cartophilic connection appears to be card 14 of Carreras "British Prime Ministers") agreed to be President.
And in 1854 the society changed its name to The Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
However what I have just found out is that Sir William Hilliary himself actually helped to save over three hundred people from drowning, because he was one of the Douglas lifeboat crew.
He also came up with the idea of giving medals to crews who had performed rescues at sea, and we also know that Grace Darling was the first female recipient of this medal. Hers was actually sold, at Sotheby’s in November 1999, for £38,000 - and again in 2018 - but I cannot track down where it is now. However I did find that her father`s medal is owned by the R.N.L.I.
This is a complex set, there are different backs, and some of the cards were issued in two sizes - small (or miniature), measuring 45 x 35 m/m and large (measuring 83 x 58-60 m/m.
Our original World Tobacco Issues Index lists this group together as :
FOOTBALLERS (A). Min. Skipped numbers in most printings. P50-45
1. Back 1 - "Oval" design.
A. Back in brown (112)
B. Back in black (400)
2. Back 2 - "Double-lined Oblong", address (?517)
3. Back 3 - "Single-lined Oblong", address "Photo" (?1109)
4. Back 4 - "Single-lined Oblong", address "Pinnace" Photos.
A. Front with name at top, team at base (?2463)
B. Front with name at base. Partly with gummed label on back with name of team. Selected numbers, mostly over 1000
C. Team at top, name at base. Nos. 1416-1533 seen (117)FOOTBALLERS (A). Lg. Selected numbers only issued. P50-46
1. Back style 1, in black
2. Back with "Double-lined Oblong", address "Photo" or "Pinnace" Photos
3. Back with "Single-lined Oblong"
It is a bit differently described in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, as :
FOOTBALLERS (A). Min. Skipped numbers in most printings. No.2462 highest known. The series was issued over a number of years, and many variations and team changes occur, although each player retained one number regardless of printing.
A. Miniature size.
1. Back 1 - "Oval" design.
A. Back in brown (112) B. Back in black (400)
2. Back 2 - "Double-lined Oblong", address. Skipped nos to 517 (389)
3. Back 3 - "Single-lined Oblong", address "Photo". Skipped nos to 1109 (905)
4. Back 4 - "Single-lined Oblong", address "Pinnace" Photos. (?2462). Normally cards have player`s name at base and team at top, but most numbers 1416/1533 are the reverse. Many numbers have players name only at base, and can be found with team name on gummed slip pasted to back. Skipped Nos. to 2462 (2349)B. Large size. All believed to be skipped numbers.
1. Back 1 - "Oval" design, in black (?514)
2. Back with "Double-lined Oblong", address "Photo" (?852)
3. Back with "Double-lined Oblong", address "Pinnace" Photos. (?2461). Some with player`s name only at base, or player`s name and team reversed.