For our second crafty clue we gave you Fred Trueman, the cricketer, and renowned “bowler”.
Now a “bowler” in hat land is a hard felt hat with a rounded top and a brim which curves slightly the the side. Why it is called that is from its original manufacturers, Thomas and William Bowler of London, and they first made one in 1849. As to why, well they were asked to, by none other than James Lock & Co, who had been commissioned to make something which would stay on the head of the gamekeeper of one of the Earls of Leicester, unlike his present top hat, which was always being blown off by the wind, falling off when the horse shied or stumbled, or being collected in passing by low-hanging branches. And then, of course, the gamekeeper would have to get off his horse, collect his hat, and clamber back aboard.
So almost certainly the Earl had seen this, and wanted more work, less time-wasting. ...
Again this issuer is not listed in our trade indexes, but we have featured a set by them before, and I hope it was not this one. So I will track that down, and add a link. It was https://csgb.co.uk/publications/newsletter/2023-06-30 on Tuesday the 4th of July.
Unfortunately it was this set. But never mind all will be sorted.
And maybe out there is a most unusual card of Mr. Trueman, with which this might be replaced????
Or even better a card for that other duplicated entry, one which shows both of the Bedser twins. I am certain one is hiding somewhere...???