This card was the first to actually say School, but it also gives us something that few children enjoy, and that is getting up early in the morning, after the liberty of the holidays, when they could get up at any time, or not get up at all.
This team - Rea St. Early Morning School F.C. - is impossible to find, it is one of many that disappeared, seemingly without leaving any trace - and yet we have them, on this card.
From the card we know that A. Wainman was the captain, R. Foxal the trainer, and that the staff were W. Palmer (President), W.E. Palmer, Senior (General Secretary), W. Ketley (Secretary), J. Mears (Assistant Secretary), plus C. Hicken and, E. Vickers (who were both "Comm" - whatever that stands for). It also tells us that the club was a "Member of the Midland Adult School League, Division 1. Since the foundation of the club in 1929 nearly a hundred medals have been won ."
Putting Rea St. Early Morning School F.C. in any search engine came up blank. However I did find that the Midland Adult School Union was established by Alderman William White, a Quaker book seller/publisher, and John Blackham, a draper, in 1884, and that the idea behind it was to give education to adults, many of whom has never gone to school and were illiterate. Though it started out to only teach reading and writing, it seems to have expanded into other subjects and even extra curricular activities, like sport. All we need to get straight is whether our team was part of the "Union".
The first thing to note about this card is that we have a homepage for all the "Series" sets of Ardath "Photocards", with our Card of the Day for the 29th of July, 2023, which was the "A" Series. Over there you will find lots of background information, and a link to each of the series, where you will find more information pertaining to each one. One day there may also be a list of all the cards, as it was such fun tapping in the names of the clubs featured on that "A" Series - and also anyone looking for a specific team will be able to track it down as a keyword.
Today`s card is from Series "E", described in our original Ardath reference book RB.6, issued in 1943, as :
- Sept. 1936. 110. Photocards Series "E" (titled series). size 3 1/2" x 2 1/4". Numbered 1-110. Real photographs of Football Teams of the Midlands, toned black and white, glossy finish, titled, white margin. Backs printed in black with description, with "E" at bottom right. Issued with "King`s Cigarettes". Expanding Albums, price 6d., were issued.
Varieties :
- Front Title - Back Title 9. - Kenilworth Early Closers` F.C. - Kenilworth Early Closers F.C. 87. - Newhall Colts F.C. - New Hall Colts F.C.
At the very end of the listing in that original reference book, we have the following;
- NOTE :- PHOTOCARDS of Series A, B, C, D, E, F, the additional series AS, CS, ES, and FS, and part Z (to No.165) are found with the backs overprinted diagonally in red with "Packed with Ardath Kings, 10 for 6d., The Longer Cigarette." These cards were given away at the actual football match. A few of the remaining cards being packed with the cigarettes. It is believed, but not certain, that the complete series were thus overprinted.
The following varieties of overprint have been seen :-
Vertical instead of diagonal - Series A, No. 75
Inverted - Series C No.32, Series E No.88, Series F. Nos. 13/14
Some of the cards were also issued (it is thought to retailers only, as advertisements) with a thin paper cover, printed in brown, hinged at the back and covering the front of the card, advertising Ardath "KIngs"
There is a different overprint reading "only photographs of Arsenal and Manchester City are packed with Ardath Kings sold here today, 10 for 6d." However, we do not think that this was ever added to the cards from Series "E" - unless you know differently?
The above description was shortened for our original World Tobacco Issues Index, and that for series "E" reads :
- PHOTOCARDS - numbered series. Md. Black and white photos. Nd. Many cards found overprinted in red-brown "Packed with Ardath Kings - 10 for 6d. - The longer cigarette". See RB.6 - page 11. ... A72-53
5. Inscribed "E". Football Clubs of the Midlands 110)
This text is repeated in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, without the reference to RB.6, and with a new card code, of A745-650.