This is an earlier card, and it looks older too, but the reason it did not come along yesterday is that this card starts with a later date, telling us “The first English lifeboat was built in 1789 by George Greathead” – whereas yesterday’s card started with the patent thereof in 1785.
The text also tells us that “… there are two main types, the self-righting, and the non self-righting. Both types are fitted with 10 to 16 oars, and with sails.”
Now this is picture is obviously of an actual lifeboat, and perhaps of two of its gallant crew, yet there is sadly no mention of location. Perhaps there was on the placard by the front wheel, but it is quite unreadable. Maybe someone has seen the picture before though, on a postcard, or in a book?
Of course the lifeboat shown here did not go to sea with those wheels, they are simply the cart which manoeuvres the boat on land.
This set appears first in our original Wills reference booklets, as :
326. 50. SHIPS AND SHIPPING. Size 66 x 37 m/m. Fronts : Glossy photoprints in black and white. Backs in black, with descriptive text. Export issues, 1928 :-
A. New Zealand issue. Wills` name at base of backs.
B. General Overseas issue. Anonymous backs.
In our reference booklet, to British American Tobacco, though it appears only in the front index, we learn that the second, Anonymous, “General Overseas issue” was sent to Malta.
Our World Tobacco Issues Indexes both catalogue it as
SHIPS AND SHIPPING. Sm. Black and white photos. Nd. (50). See W/326.A