This card was also issued in December, but, at least to me, it suggests the end of term, the final one of which comes along in this month. And after that, there is no school, until the next year.... which always makes it sound a longer time than it actually is!
Marlborough College was opened in August 1843, for the sole purpose of providing education the sons of clergymen. Indeed it was founded by a group of clergymen. However, it has rather irreligious beginnings, for the building was originally the Castle Inn public house.
It opened with a hundred and ninety-nine students, but it was intended to eventually have a capacity of five hundred. The cost of schooling was thirty-guineas a year, but it had been decided to also admit the sons of gentlemen, who would pay more, fifty guineas a year, in order to subsidise the costs. Girls were not admitted until 1968, but only into the Sixth Form - it took until 1989 until it was fully co-educational.
As for why I chose this card out of the two hundred and twenty-five that are possible, the throngs of children suggested that it was the end of term, something that happens in December every year.
This set is part of a longer group, which is catalogued in our original reference boook of the issues of R. & J. Hill, RB.2, published in 1942. The entry reads :
- 1923. 50. PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (titled series). Size 2 3/4" x 1 1/2". Numbered 1-50. Inscribed, "Series of 50". Fronts, printed in brown by photogravure, no subject titles, but white margins, Backs, printed in green and black with descriptions in black. No maker`s name, but "Issued with `Sunripe` Cigarettes which stand alone in size and tone." Printed by Ripley & Co. London
- 1923. 50. PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (titled series). Size 3 1/8" x 2 3/4". Numbered 1-50. Fronts and backs exactly the same as preceding series, only difference being size. Printed by Ripley & Co. London
- 75. PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (titled series). Size 2 3/4" x 1 1/2". Numbered 1-75. Similar to the above, but with 25 additional subjects. Inscribed "A Series of 75".
- 75. PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (titled series). Size 3 1/8" x 2 3/4". Numbered 1-75. Similar to the above, except for size. Inscribed "A Series of 75". Both sets printed by Ripley & Co. London
However, as you probably noticed, none of these entries have card codes. That means that the first official number had to wait until our World Tobacco Issues Index, published fourteen years later, where it is catalogued as :
- PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. Brown gravures. "Sunripe" brand issues. Nd. See Ha.575 ...H46-61
A. "A Series of 50". Size (a) small (b) large
B. "A Series of 75". Size (a) small (b) large
By the time of our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, published in the year 2000, the entry is only very slightly different, and now reads :
- PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. Brown gravures. "Sunripe" brand issues. Nd. See Ha.575 ...H554-550
A. "A Series of 50". Size (a) Sm. (b) Lg.
B. "A Series of 75". Size (a) Sm. (b) Lg.