Convention 1941

Saturday 26th April - LONDON

held at The Howard Hotel

The Bulletin (Vol.2 No.XIX, February 1941) tells us that our second Annual General Meeting was originally planned to once more be at the Old Cock Tavern in Fleet Street, on Saturday afternoon, March 15, 1941, commencing 2.30 p.m. o`clock sharp.” However, by March 1941, “The Bulletin” (vol.2 no.XX) says “Once again Hitlerism has interfered with Cartophily`s cause. We could not foregather at Ye Olde Cock Tavern as arranged, and almost at the last minute a new venue had to be found. However cigarette card collectors in pursuit of their hobby are not easily turned aside, and the meeting took place at the Howard Hotel, Norfolk Street, Strand, London.

In 1940/1941 that area of London was indeed heavily bombed and Fleet Street did take many direct hits. Even once a raid was over, clean up could take many days, with the bricks, glass, and other debris of the shattered buildings, the innumerable fires above and below ground, the water left by the fire hoses and the sundry scattered equipment of the ARP, not counting the victims who had to be rescued and accounted for, if possible.

In June 1941, The Bulletin (Vol.2 No.XXIII) tells us that the meeting had also been postponed, and did not take place until the 26th of April. The attendance, although sparse, was representative, but both London and Country members were present, and interesting discussions took place. Several new faces had been co-opted on to the Council, there had been good response to a call for funds to pay for the extra costs of paper and postage incurred in producing more, and thicker copies of “The Bulletin”, and the membership was over three hundred, one hundred and forty two of them having become new members in the last twelve months. Unfortunately plans for Society badges had been abandoned, due to lack of spare materials for non-military usage, and the circulation of a printed “wants list” had met with little support. 

March-April 1954 
“The Cartophilic World” Vol.10, No.110, p.1384 
In here there is a short piece which tells the story of our beginnings by citing an article which had appeared in Cigarette Card News. This said “we were apparently born at “Andertons Hotel” in Fleet Street, E.C.4, and suckled at “Ye Olde Cock Inn” also in Fleet Street ! We then moved, for a short time, to the “Royal London House” in Finsbury Square, before going to the “Howard Hotel” in the Strand. From there we have moved to “Caxton Hall”, Westminster, in which erudite precincts we have remained since 22nd August, 1947”. This must have referred to the general and council meetings, for the AGM for 1940 was definitely at “Ye Olde Cock Inn” and that for 1941 was only prevented from following on at the same location by major war damage. The “Royal London House” is a new one to me, and it must have been in use for a very short time indeed.

May - June 1954
“The Cartophilic World” Vol.10, No.111, p.1391
A follow up to the above tells a bit more about our relocation to the Howard Hotel. It also states that “we left our original venue [Anderton`s Hotel] because there was an argument of some sort or another. These arguments always happen with the very young, or with very youthful Societies. The Society having been formed by all present who wished to join, giving the Chairman 6d., they obviously felt very important. They moved to “Ye Olde Cock” Tavern, which did us very well and which aptly described a number of the budding councillors. We would attend meetings there and then retire to the bar, where the attendant, a most charming lady, kept a special bottle for the Councillors. One day we arrived after a blitz to find the Tavern had gone, together with our special bottle and everything else. The General Meeting was scheduled to take place in an hour – what was to be done? As one or two early comers arrived, we decided to leave one at the wreck of “Ye Olde Cock” and go look for accommodation (I mean a meeting room). We found the Howard Hotel, and hurried back to tell our faithful sentry to direct everyone to this Hotel – not far away in Norfolk Street. We had many happy meetings there for a number of years, once even retiring to the staff quarters to listen to the Broadcast of the Grand National. The gradually increasing prices, however, forced us to leave, with regret, the Howard, and although we tried other places before deciding on a new venue, we eventually came to Caxton Hall where we have been ever since.”