so, are you all ready to flood into the Card Convention in just a few hours time ?
And is there anyone reading this in a tent or a hotel room near Kings Lynn, because if you are, do send us an email. The address, as always, is webmaster@card-world.co.uk
We`d also like to hear from you if you buy something great, or unusual, or complete the set you have been waiting for that final card for. If you send us a picture we will put it up on our website, though please confine it to pictures of cards and cartophilic items - for they are much easier than people when it comes to wrangling the complexities of data protection.
And get out there on Social Media as well, the hashtag this year is #CartophilicConvention2023 - use it liberally. And if you cant get to the Convention this year, never mind, we can have fun at home reminiscing about Conventions past.
So this week`s newsletter is a bit late, for I struggled with two of the days, badly. However it is here and I hope it gives you pleasure. If it contains anything that awakens a memory, do get in touch. We love hearing from you all.
Anonymous [tobacco : O/S] “Aeroplanes of Today” (1936) 38/50 – ZB07-015 : ZB6-1 : RB.21/217-6C
Today in 1944 saw the first use of helicopters in a combat rescue situation. The craft in question was a Sikorsky R4, being operated by the 1st Air Commando Group in Burma. There had been military use of helicopters before, for carrying medical supplies, but our mission was to rescue the crew of an aircraft, the pilot, and three British soldiers. It was a perilous job, for they could not all travel together, and they were at risk of being shot at every time they approached and left the ground, as well as the chance that their landing point would become known to the enemy before the helicopter could return. But all were rescued.
Sikorsky had received the contract to develop the helicopter in December 1940, and it first flew just over two years later. We can also thank Sikorsky for the first mass-produced helicopter, of 1947, the S-51 which had a much longer air time, and an enclosed cabin, and this really brought helicopter flight within the reach of the general public.
Sadly none of these are still flying. The oldest helicopter that is was first flown in 1954. And guess what - it`s a Sikorsky!
Our card is also a Sikorsky, but this is an aeroplane, or rather a flying boat, which, as the card tells us, operated between New York and Cuba or South America. It took two pilots and fifteen passengers.
This is a companion set to one we featured earlier, which is ostensibly the same “Aeroplanes (Civil)” set as issued by John Player, but in this anonymous form with the bottom part being used for a line drawing of an aeroplane.
Our original World Tobacco Issues Index states it is an overseas issue through British American Tobacco, but the description is simply “Sm. Nd. (50). See RB.21/217-6C”. That book tells us it was issued a few more times than we might imagine, and also in another size. These are :
I. Small cards
A. Player Home issue – titled “Aeroplanes (Civil)”
B. Player Irish issue – titled “Aeroplanes”
C. Anonymous issue, with letterpress on back. Titled “Aeroplanes of Today”
D. U.T.C. issue - titled “Aeroplanes of Today”
1. Back inscribed “For an album send 6d. to Box 78, Cape Town”
2. Back inscribed “For an album send 6d. to Box 1006, Cape Town”II. Medium cards, size 67 x 61 m/m
E. Albert issue. Titled “Aeroplanes (Civils).” Picture same size as in I but wide margin above inscribed “Cigarettes Albert”. Back in brown, with descriptive text in French.
The World Tobacco Issues Index adds that the “Cigarettes Albert” printing was not just issued in Belgium, but in the Belgian Congo.
As far as dates of issue, the British American Tobacco “Albert” set only says 1935. John Player issued it that year too, but in Ireland first, for we have a month recorded, July 1935. It was then issued elsewhere in the United Kingdom the following month.
According to our John Player Reference Book (RB.17), that Irish issue has some changes to the descriptive text on cards 6,8,10,19,25,31 and 33. Whilst the home issue seems to have had a spot of difficulty with card 42, it started off saying Heinkel H.E. on front and back, then was altered to Heinkel H.E. 70A. But in between a card appeared that had both, Heinkel H.E. on the front, but Heinkel H.E. 70A on the reverse.
Something else to hunt for on your travels…..
The United Tobacco issue was the following year, 1936.
By the way the text was “Selected by the Editor of “The Aeroplane”. This was C. G. Grey and he remained editor until November 1939. His actual name was Charles Grey Grey and he was also the co-founder of the magazine, in partnership with Mr, Victor Sassoon, who was later to be knighted. The first edition was in 1911 and he stayed as editor until November 1939. He also edited Jane`s "All The World`s Aircraft" from 1916 until 1940. However he became rather unpopular due to his admiration for Germany, and the way that they had gone from not being allowed to fly anything but gliders, to becoming one of the world`s leading air nations. Not really what was wanted at the beginning of the war.
Taddy [tobacco : UK] “British Medals & Decorations” Series 2. (1912) 37/50 – T045-065 : T6-6 : T/7 (RB.12/7)
Now this is a very appropriate card for today, which is also St. George`s Day, for here is a medal showing St. George, in the action of killing the poor dragon. At the top is the emblem of St. George, and his motto, “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense” both of which are paramount to both the Order of the Garter medal and the group of the same name, which was founded today in 1348, Edward III, a huge fan of the Knights of the Round Table, founded the Order of the Garter. It is devoted to St. George, who is its patron saint, and whose emblem appears on the badge. And if anyone has applied to join, they only find out if they have been successful on St. George`s Day.
It was, and remains, a tiny group, and is limited to the King (or Queen), the Prince of Wales (usually next in line to the throne), and a maximum of twenty four others whose job it is to serve that monarch. These can include ladies, though at first they were not full companions, they were just the rather exciting sounding "Ladies of the Garter", which brings to mind a whole different sort of establishment.
There is also scope to allow residents of other shores, though sometimes that has not gone so well; Emperor Hirohito of Japan was inducted in 1922, possibly as thanks for Japan being an Ally in the First World War, but he had to leave when Japan entered the Second World War. However he did manage to return to the fold some years later.
You can see the entire costume on John Player`s "The Coronation of H.M. King George VI and H.M. Queen Elizabeth" (1937) 21/50. And it is also sported by Edward VIII as Prince of Wales on Ardath`s " Silver Jubilee of King George V" (1935). Which leads to another interesting fact - that when you die your regalia must be returned. I do not know if it is re-used, kept in some kind of museum, or destroyed? Does anyone else know?
This medal can also be seen on Ogden`s Ltd "Orders of Chivalry" (1907) cards 1, 2 and 11. Card one is the collar and a badge of St. George, similar to the medal we show, and card two is the star and garter. Whilst card 11 has what is known as the Lesser George, a golden coloured medallion which replaces the collar and George shown on card 1 when those are not used.
This card has no descriptive text, it is simply an advertisement for “Taddy`s “Myrtle Grove” Cigarettes, Cool, Sweet Fragrant. In Tins and Packets Only”. The fragrance is reinforced by the tiny flowers that dot about the image. I doubt the cigarettes smelt of flowers though !
Lets start with our original Taddy Reference Book, which answers the query I am sure you all have. The description is :
7. 50 British Medals and Decorations (Series 2) (titled). Size 2 5/8 x 1 7/16” or 67 x 36 m/m. Numbered 1-50 on fronts.Fronts lithographed in colour. Backs per fig 5 in (a) black (b) steel blue.
Note – this is a second series to (8) below
And (8) below is the set of 50 “British Medals and Ribbons”. Which was also issued in 1912.
Our original World Tobacco Issues Index only tells us it is “Sm. Inscribed “Series 2”. Back in (a) black (b) steel blue. Nd. (50)”. Whilst our updated version alters this, slightly, to say “Back in numerous shades”. But those two seem to be the ones still quoted in dealer’s catalogues. Where, by the way, the black back is more expensive.
Cavanders Ltd [tobacco : UK] "Cinema Stars" (1934) 5/30 - C230-260 : C48-13 : RB.113/50 : Ha.515-6
So today, after much searching, it turns out to be the birthday of Marceline Day. This was not her real name, that was Marceline Newlin, and she was born in 1908. Two years later she was already in the movies. But then so was her sister, Jacqueline Alice Irene Newlin, who had taken the name of Alice Day.
Now Alice Day was a bit older, and she had cut her teeth as a Sennett Girl, a bathing beauty too. Then she was noticed, as they say, and went into other films by Mack Sennett. One of these was called "Picking Peaches" and she managed to mention that she had a sister, Marceline. It seems that they just presumed it was Marceline Day, because that was Alice`s movie name. The film was released in 1924, and, in echoes of her sister`s film career, Marceline was a bathing beauty
Marceline played comedies with Harry Langdon, a curious character who seemed to be permanently dejected about everything, and then she moved into Westerns. In 1926 she was one of the Wampas Babies, a kind of contest where a baker`s dozen of beauties were given a bit of extra promotion in the hope of finding a star of the future. 1926 was a good year for future stars, but Marceline still managed to find a starring role against John Barrymore in "The Beloved Rogue", a title which suits him very well. You will see that this film is mentioned on the back of our card.
As she grew older she seemed to outshine her sister, and this is especially noticeable in the 1929 musical "The Show of Shows" which was a huge production with cameos from almost everyone they could find at the lot during its production. This included the boxer Georges Carpentier, who was trading the ring for the screen.
In 1930 she got married, to a furrier. She still kept up the acting and the early 1930s saw her again riding the range. She even got to appear with John Wayne in the 1933 film "The Telegraph Trail". But she soon called it a day and retired in 1933. Her first marriage lasted almost twenty years, then she married again in 1959 and again had a long happy spell until he died in 1980.
She died in February 2000, aged 91.
You can see this entire set of cards, front and back, at Immortal Ephemera/Cavanders and there is more information there too, including the fact that Esther Ralston appeared on two different cards within it. I am not entirely sure why, though she did make four films that year, all romantic comedies. And she was divorced from her first husband in that year, after eight years, but she soon married again, which lasted for three years, and then a third time, which was more successful and they were together for fifteen years. But she was finding it hard to get work, something she blamed quite publicly on not being friendly enough with Louis B. Mayer. She retired from the movies in 1940 and moved into radio and television.
John M. Brindley & Associates [trade/commercial : printers : UK] “Bentley Cars” (1993) 1/30 – BDRM-30
Now this celebrates the fact that today in 1901 the State of New York was the first to pass a law stating that every motor car had to have a licence plate. But try finding a licence plate on a car on a card, and it is much harder than you think, for most cars are shown facing sideways. Anyway this series has not yet been featured and you can see the plate, on the bumper, in front of the grille. It does seem a shame that there was not a longer text, for there is space.
The car featured is the BC 71 C/2 De Saloon. What this actually means is that it is the Bentley S1 Continental 2 Door Sports Saloon and it was built between 1955 and 1959. Sadly checking the plate number only brings up that it was first registered in London. So can anyone else add anything to this tale?
There were two sets of cards issued that do show number plates, but I have neither. One is a tobacco set, by Lambert & Butler, which is called “Motor Index Marks”. This was a set of 50 cards, issued in December 1926.
The other, by strange coincidence, is also by Lambert, but it is a trade set, by F. Lambert & Sons, and it was issued with Tea. This is entitled “Car Registration Numbers”, and there were two sets, “A Series” in 1959 and “Second Series” in 1960. Dealers seem to all sell the “A Series” as a complete set, so it might be a struggle to make it up from a handful of cards you pick up. However most dealers seem to sell odds of the “Second Series”, perhaps because it is more expensive.
If anyone would like to share a front and back of either of those to replace this Bentley, that will be much appreciated and I will slot the Bentley in elsewhere.
Mr. Brindley first appears in part three of our British Trade Index, where it gives his address as Portsmouth and tells us his business was “Photo Litho Services, Cricketers, Prints”. The cards listed there were “Cards issued in the 1980s”, namely the five sets of “Cricket Series”, and as the first series of thirty was un-numbered, it includes a checklist of those too.
In part four, more cards appear, including ours, (hooray). These were issued from 1986 to 1993, and cover a wide range of subjects, not only cricketers – trains, golf, car badges, military, and an intriguing pair “Opera Stars” and “Famous Operatic Roles”.
Three sets were issued in 1993, “Old Motor Cycles” 70 x 38. Nd.(12), “Cricket Old Timers” 70 x 38. Nd. (20), and our set, which is described as :
Bentley Cars. Two sizes –
1. Size 70 x 38. Nd. (30). Titled “Bentley Cars”
2. Size 146 x 95. Single card, titled “The Bentley”
I rather suspect this large card to have been issued for advertising purposes. However I cannot find that they ever issued one large card before. Can anyone confirm or deny?
Gum Inc. [trade : confectionery : O/S : USA] “War Gum” (1942) 100/ 132 - R164
And now for our Centenary Card, for today in 1923 saw the wedding of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Elizabeth Bowes Lyon. That event does appear on cards, but they have for the most part been featured here. However this one has not, and it does demonstrate their unity together. And that was something much tested, for Prince Albert was never intended to be King, that was to be the job of his brother Edward. However he chose love, or at least I hope it was, over duty. I cannot say I blame him, either.
This shows the royal couple, by then King and Queen, visiting an area which had suffered bomb damage. The first time they did this was in the East End of London, on October the 18th 1940, a month after Buckingham Palace had been damaged by bombs. The teenage princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were not there, they had been evacuated to Windsor already.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth did seem to take a great interest in their subjects, and this card would have definitely endeared them all the more to the Americans, made them a bit more human, something that all people in the public eye ought to be. For often it is their failings that make us empathise with them, more than their great wealth and luxury lifestyles.
As this set falls into neither World Tobacco nor British Trade there is no official Cartophilic Code. However it does appears in the Burdick catalogue so we have a code, at last, of R164. This lists it as "War Gum (132) Gum Inc." and values it at 0.03 cents a card.
A bit of research discovers that this was actually a companion, of sorts, to "Horrors of War", but based more on heroism and kindness than shock value - the way we should all try to live. The saddest thing is that the horrors set is the one that everyone wants to collect.
And, by the way, you can see all the cards in our series courtesy of Skytamer/WarGum
John Player “Leaders of Men” (1925) 32/50 – P644-628 : P72-194 : P/121 (RB.7/121) : RB.21/215-108.B
Today, in 1667, John Milton, blinded and impoverished, sold his story, Paradise Lost, to a publisher.
This card tells us that he was born in 1608 in London, to a family that valued education and sent Milton to Cambridge University in 1624, once aged sixteen. He took his Bachelor of Arts degree four years later, and his Master of Arts four year on. Two years later his great work “Comus” was published. After that, or perhaps because of that, he fell in love with Italy, and travelled there widely. He became Latin Secretary to the Commonwealth in 1649, which seems odd because the clothing he wears here makes him look much more like a Cavalier than a Roundhead, but perhaps that was ignored because of Milton`s superior knowledge of Latin.
Then in 1652 he became totally blind. It took him eleven years to write Paradise Lost, until 1163, and two further years to sell it.
But in 1671 he wrote the follow up, Paradise Regained, as well as Samson Agonistes. He died in London in 1674
This set is more usually found named for Ogden`s Ltd, who issued it within the United Kingdom in 1924.
Our version, by John Player, was never issued in this country, only overseas. As for where, the World Tobacco Issues Index cites New Zealand, Malaya, and Siam. It does have an entry in the original John Player Reference Book which tells us it is :
121. 50 Leaders of Men. Small cards. Fronts in colour. Backs in grey, with descriptive text. Overseas issue, September 1925.
Error cards seen –
(a) Back no.20 (Gordon) Front No.38 (Peter the Great)
(b) Back no.21 (Adolphus) Front No.43 (Richelieu)
Backs of both cards are inverted. Similar series issued by Ogden.
Another spot of intrigue is provided by RB.21, which tells us that it was also issued entirely anonymously, with letterpress on the back. This was a bit later, in 1929.
Now the 28th of April has not been one of the most popular days for us to hold our Convention. But, in 1998, Saturday 28th April saw us gathering at Rivermead Centre in Reading.
Our Commemorative card was a humorous representation of one of the original “Have You Any Cigarette Cards” postcards so lets have a chat about those.
Most were issued by Valentines Postcards, in about 1915-1920. They also often carry another sentence "The Burning Question", and feature a small child asking a stranger whether they have any cigarette cards. The stranger is usually otherwise engaged in all manner of situations, in our case, well, he has found out the hard way that he is not a seafarer.
Here is a list of the ones I know of, along with the issuer and the earliest date of posting so far found - and please add any you know, because I have not been able to find a list anywhere else. And they are cartophilic, don`t you think?
They seem to come in two types, one sort is full colour right to the edges with a coloured background as well, and the other sort has the people on a white background. I suspect the whiter cards came first.
By the way if you would like to send us a scan of any of these, it may be easier than my describing them....
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Aeroplane : man falling from the sky
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Baby : man with bawling baby (full colour - Valentines)
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Beach : man in red and black swimsuit (full colour - Valentines)
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Boat : man on board feeling queasy (full colour - Valentines)
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Car : man beneath a car, mending it (white - Valentines)
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Car : man just been run over by a speeding car (white - Valentines)
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Country : courting couple beneath umbrella by a gate ( (full colour - Valentines - 1917)
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Country: kissing couple on a bench (white - Valentines)
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Dentist : man with bandaged face (drawn by Donald McGill)
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Hunting : man having fallen from horse (white - Valentines)
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Railway Station : Man struggling with large trunk saying R.I.P. (full colour - Valentines)
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Street : Man struggling with parcels and fighting dogs (white - Valentines)
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Tobacconist : man emerging, being besieged by eight boys (full colour - Valentines)
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Tram : man running
This week's Cards of the Day...
have been looking forward to our Annual Card Convention, which takes place in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. Plus remembering the last times we set up camp for it in Norfolk.
Saturday, 15th April 2023
Now here is Bobby Brennan, or, more correctly, Robert Anderson Brennan, who played most of his league matches for Norwich City. However the answer to our sneaky teaser was that after he left Norwich City but, after he left them, in 1961 he actually joined Kings Lynn Football Club.
King's Lynn F.C. was founded in 1881 but went out of business in 2009. However the following year they were back, as Lynn F.C.. and are still going as Kings Lynn Town F.C. I do not know if you can find any cards with any of these clubs on but I look forward to hearing that you did.... as always the email is webmaster@card-world.co.uk
And please also get in touch if you can answer the question posed on this card - namely which goalkeeper was picked for Scotland to play against the Army but lost his place when it was discovered he was born in Surrey ?
Now Mr. Brennan is also not very well recorded on cards, despite his almost four hundred games, and his five caps for Northern Ireland. Even the Trading Card Database/BBrennan has him on just three cards. There is also little about him online. He was born in 1925, in Belfast, and we know that he must have worked for the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff, because what is said to be his first appearance was with the Harland and Wolff Welders team. That almost certainly provides us with his job as well. Now it then says he played for a team called Bloomfield United, but until I am corrected I think this came first, for they were formed in East Belfast in the 1950s from members of the Bloomfield Methodist church and Boys Brigade. He also played for the Dunville & Co. works team in Lisburn, which was known as The Distillery Football Club. At the end of the 1940s, or perhaps after his return from the Second World War, he moved to England and played for Luton Town, Birmingham City and Fulham, joining Norwich City in 1953. He was there for just three years before moving across the country to Great Yarmouth Town, but this seems not to have been to his liking as in 1957 he was back at Norwich City. Then, in 1961, he moved to King`s Lynn.
He died in Norwich in 2002.
Our original British Trade Index part II tells us that this set is from the "Footballers Grouping" which appears in full with the Card of the Day for October 19 2024, simply because that was the first football set ever to be issued by A & B.C. Gum, in 1958-1959. All the other sets are tackled like today`s, in as much as they simply repeat their section of the listing, and not how it interacts with the other sets.
So today`s card is listed as :
FOOTBALLERS GROUPING (A). Md. or Lg. 8 backs illustrated at Fig. ABF-10. Nd. ... ABF-10
2. Portrait in circle, coloured surround. Back in black, style of back 2, except Nos 42 & 84 which are team pictures with back headed "Footballer Checklist" in horizontal format. 90 x 64 (84). Variety at No.42, descriptive text
a) black on white
b) white on black.
You can find a checklist of all the players courtesy of the Football Cartophilic Info Exchange/F.1-2 - which reveals the two team pictures to be No.42 Wolverhampton Wanderers and No.84 Blackpool.
As to why these teams got the honours, I do not know - the only thing I found to be notable after a long time of hunting was that on Saturday the 14th of January 1961, the match between the two was abandoned after only nine minutes due to fog. But I have since been told that Wolverhampton won the 1960 F.A. Cup Final, which justifies their place. And as for Blackpool, they did become one of the first football clubs in England to have their game televised, but not until the 10th of December 1960, against Bolton Wanderers, when they unfortunately lost 1-0.
Despite the fact that most dealers call this set "Footballers 1960-61", or "Footballers, black backs", there is evidence that it was originally called "Famous Footballers".
Now by the time of our next edition of the British Trade Index, part III, there has been a bit of a change and the entry there reads :
2. Portrait in circle. Back of player cards "Rub Edge of coin ... for Magic answer". (84). Issued 1960-61, in two batches, 1/42 and 43/84
Sunday, 16th April 2023
So your clue here was, for once, the picture on the front, the cod. For in the town`s records is a mention of a huge cod, some fifty-one inches long.
After a lot of searching I have found that our cod is called the Atlantic Cod and it can reach seventy-two inches, so the Kings Lynn Monster was not so large, just perhaps a bit off course, because the ones that are usually found close to our shores are about thirty inches, whereas the proper sea faring cod are usually the forty to fifty inch range. By the way they also live for fifteen years.
The really curious thing about this Churchman set is that most of it was actually issued twice. The first time was as a set of 50 cards, and they were issued in September 1911. Then in May 1924, it was re-issued as a smaller set of just thirty cards, these being selected from the original set as shown below - which is taken from our original vintage Churchman Reference Book.
As you can see, our cod appeared in both sets. However as the cards were totally un-numbered, not even saying they were "A set of ..... cards", there is absolutely no way to tell whether this fish was a 1911 card or a 1924 one. This is also reflected by my 1950 London Cigarette Card Company catalogue, in which the Churchman version was retailed in a very odd way, for whilst you could buy a set of 50 for £30, the odds were split - either “30 cards as re-issued 1924” which were priced at 2/- to 4/6d each, or “20 cards not re-issued” which were priced at for 10/- to 25/- each. This almost certainly proves that it was a straight re-printing and there was no way to tell the two sets apart other than the fish which were included. Another curious thing is that although the reprint was produced in 1924 it does not appear in their section two catalogue which covers 1920-1940, not even a cross-reference tag line; it is purely and only in the 1888-1919 one.
That is possibly why by the time we printed our World Tobacco Issues Index the description for this set was "Sm. Unnd. (50) see RB.10/58 H.66. Partly re-issued (30 subjects) in 1924.)
Before I dash on, did you note that the Churchman cards were printed by Mardon, Son and Hall? This makes it almost certain that the others were as well. Others? You may well say - because this set was also issued in slightly different forms by Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada and by John Player (which we featured as our card of the day on the the 2nd of August 2023). All have more or less this back design, with the exception of the issuer’s name, though the Churchman set is a two line ITC Clause rather than the John Player’s three, splitting after “Co.”; whilst the Canadian version has “ISSUED BY”, rather than “ARE ISSUED BY” in the box between the description and the issuer’s name, and the issuer’s name also in two lines (“IMPERIAL TOBACCO COMPANY / OF CANADA, LIMITED”). This is also followed by a serial number 6638, and by “Printed in England”.
Monday, 17th April 2023
The link to Kings Lynn here was towards the top of the reverse, for Captain John Smith, the English settler that she pleaded to save is often said to have been born in that town, but he was actually born at Heacham and moved to Kings Lynn to apprentice as soon as he was of age.
He returned home and wrote his story, more than once. In the first version she does not appear at all, and by the later versions she was in love with him. There seems a bit of doubt to the truth of the story, for, as it says on the card, she was just twelve years old when she defended him and spared his life. And he was in his late twenties. The oddest thing is that perhaps she did love him, or things about him, for when she was eighteen, in 1614, she married a fellow Heacham resident, also called John, but John Rolfe, and he was also older - eleven years her senior. He had also been married for two years, though his wife and child had died four years earlier in Bermuda. The marriage must have been partially successful, for they had a son Thomas. In 1616 they all travelled to England. However whilst they were waiting to sail back the following year Pocahontas, who had taken an English name of Rebecca, sickened and died. Her son was also sick, so only John Rolfe sailed home. Though he did appoint a guardian to look after the child if he survived. John Rolfe never saw his son again. He reached home and remarried a few years later, and they had a daughter. In 1622 John Rolfe died, or was killed. Nobody really knows.
Thomas did get to America but only when he was older. He married whilst out there and had a daughter. She died some years later in childbirth. Nobody seems to know where Thomas went then.
This set was only issued in the large format. It first appears in our John Player Reference Book (RB.17) where it is described as :
Large cards from drawings by A. K. MacDonald. Fronts in colour. Backs grey with descriptive text. Issued September 1937.
A) Home issue with I.T.C. Clause
B) Channel Islands issue without I.T.C. Clause.
This is shortened by the time of our original World Tobacco Issues Index, to simply "Lg. Nd. (25) see RB.17/86A" - and for our updated version still more, to just "Lg. Nd. (25)".
Tracking down our artist is proving a quest. The British Museum even admits that details are unknown, has no date of death, and seems to only know that they "Designed cigarette-cards for John Player and Sons".
However a bit of a hunt has turned up a bit more. We now know he was called Alistair K MacDonald, and he was born in 1880 in Buenos Aires. He then relocated to the Isle of Skye and regarded himself as a Scottish artist. You are most likely to find his works as book illustrations and magazine covers, for he mainly worked on a smaller scale.
In the 1920s he somehow became involved with Cunard, and they commissioned him to produce a range of original works for on board items, and stationery, including dinner menus.
He was most fond of depicting beautiful ethereal ladies, often clad in the thinnest gossamer, in a kind of adult fairy tale style. Indeed one of his most famous series of illustrations was for a series of stories in the Strand magazine, later published as a book by Anthony Armstrong, called "The Naughty Princess" and published in 1945. He spoke of them as being "a wee bit saucy", which is rather fun, and shows his Scottishness. Another favourite item was a drawing for a magazine entitled "Nothing to Wear" . This page also contains links to some of his other artwork, dare I say, at the bottom...
He died in 1948.
Tuesday, 18th April 2023
So here we have another resident of Kings Lynn, George Vancouver. He was born there too, on June 22, 1757, one of six children.
When he was just thirteen, in 1771, he joined the Navy, maybe not, as they often say, to see the World, but he did do just that, and discovered brand new parts of it too. This was the most fortuitous time to join, for it meant he was able to sail with Captain Cook on his second voyage, searching for Australia, and his third, which discovered Hawaii. He did not return from these until 1780.
His best known expedition started in 1791, when he was almost forty. This took him along the north west coast of America and Canada, plus to Hawaii and Australia, and he did return home until 1795.
And yes, Vancouver is indeed named after him - in fact all of the Vancouvers, the settlements in Canada and the United States, plus the island in the Pacific Ocean, and even the mountains in Alaska and New Zealand.
Our card is from a company that never had a reference book devoted to it, and is often confused with the company A.M. Wix of South Africa. It does not help that the cards only say "Kensitas", which was the brand. Though oddly the South African Wix usually only put their brand "Max" on their cards too. Perhaps it was an attempt not to be stuck at the back of the book?
However we do know a little bit about them. They seem to have been established in 1898, by Julius Wix, a Russian. He was thirty-eight years old at the time. The address seems to have moved about rather frequently within East London being in Whitechapel from 1901 until 1911, perhaps 1912, though at more than one address. They then turn up in Commercial Road which takes then to the start of the First World War. They also had a rather grand retail address from the mid 1920s, of 174, 175 and 176, Piccadilly. And in the 1930s they had a factory in Stanley Road, Stratford, which manufactured their tins and packets.
Our World Tobacco Issues Indexes tell us that the cards of this set measure 70 x 40, are numbered, and a set of 50. Plus that they are a Kensitas brand issue.
This card is a rather famous one for it appears on the Commemorative card for our 2018 Convention, which was held at the same venue that we are visiting this week. Have a look by following the link in bold.
By the way are there any readers who have tired of twittering and moved to mastodon? If so do make yourself known to me at https://home.social/@tailsandretails
Wednesday, 19th April 2023
The back has come out rather blue as opposed to grey, but I will have a better go one day when it is less hectic!
This card shows the coat of arms for Kings Lynn - being a pelican on top of a shield bearing three dragons with crosses coming from their mouths. It refers to the story of St Margaret of Antioch, who was swallowed by a dragon who turned out to be the devil in disguise. However the cross she had with her at all times was displeasing to the devil and he spat her out (though some versions of the tale say that the cross grew hot and made him explode). Anyway this coat of arms shows the cross protruding from the devil`s mouth, in triplicate (not sure why)
Today this crest is different, for since 1983 the area has fallen under "Kings Lynn and West Norfolk". This has a seagull with a cross between its toes, and it is standing upright on top of a knight`s helmet. The three dragons heads and protruding crosses still remain but the shield is split into three with a dragon in each part and the part at the bottom is now gold with the dragon in blue. There are also now supporters, figures holding up the shield, they are often described as sea lions but they are actually the top halves of lions with fishy bottom halves, and curling tails with webs at the end.
This card is just one of the variations of this fascinating set, which are dealt with more fully in our blog "B for Borough Arms". That tells the differences in all the sets, and one day will include a sample back and front of every one.
This particular card we feature today is from Group 7 - Numbered set of 50, 101-150, numbered on the backs, and entirely new subjects on the fronts. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in grey, with descriptive texts and an album offer, which is also printed in grey. Marked "3rd Series"
Thursday, 20th April 2023
Now you may be wondering of the connection between this card and King`s Lynn?
Well at one time the town, or more correctly the area, was known simply as Linn, and most of it was covered by water, hence the name. There is some debate as to whether that word is Celtic, which is usually stated to mean a pool. However a bit of research has uncovered that a linn is the pool beneath a waterfall, and that does fit a lot of the Scottish Linn rivers and pools, but not ours.
The truth is that it almost certainly comes instead from Old English, hlynn, which means a torrent, and suggests that the land in that area was not always water, but was flooded, almost certainly at a time those naming it remembered, but we have all forgot.
This sudden influx of water was important though, for it made the area into a booming centre for trade, where ships could tie up with ease. And in the 13th century this may have been part of the reason why the King John Charter turned the by then rechristened Lynn into a borough, not only that, but one in charge of making its own decisions. giving it self governing powers – which all reflected the town’s importance as a key trading centre.
But in 1537 everything changed, for King Henry VIII took over the town, and called it Lynn Regis, Regis being Latin for King. Hence our card - for Henry VIII is the King of King`s Lynn.
This set is described in our original Lambert & Butler Reference Book, issued in 1948 as : "Fronts lithographed in colour without photo basis. Backs in green, with descriptions. 1906-1908."
By the time of our World Tobacco Issues Index, just under a decade later, it had been reduced to "Sm. Nd. (40)" - possibly because it was taking them too long to find out what the "without photo basis" actually meant as I am still hunting that myself, though I believe it means that the artwork is created from life not a flat object. But do correct me if I err.
Friday, 21st April 2023
So for our final card we have the Arms of Norwich. This is because prior to King`s Lynn being called that, it was known as Bishop`s Lynn, because it was under the control of the Bishop of Norwich.
Actually the Bishop of Norwich is a busy bee, for they control most of Norfolk and Suffolk. They are based in Norwich though, at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. And he lives at Bishop`s House in Norwich.
The first cathedral in East Anglia is strongly believed to be below the sea, for it was at Dunwich. There are certainly records that the Bishop`s control was split into two areas, Dunwich, and Elmham, and then the seat moved to Elmham. That is pretty fine proof to me.
It moved then to Thetford, but only lasted a quarter of a century before going to the Cathedral in Norwich
Another reason for this card is that there is also a link here to our Norfolk ramblings, because our seventieth Annual General Meeting was held in Norwich, on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th April, 2008. It was there by chance though, for our intention was, strangely, to set up at Thetford, but we instead took temporary residence at the University of East Anglia Sportspark. As usual these buildings have great facilities, for all, but this one was created thanks to the National Lottery, who gave a grant of almost fifteen million pounds. They have all manner of sports there, and an Olympic sized swimming pool.
This card is just one of the variations of this fascinating set, which are dealt with more fully in our blog "B for Borough Arms". That tells the differences in all the sets, and one day will include a sample back and front of every one.
This particular card we feature today is from Group 2 - Numbered set of 50, 1-50, these numbers being added to the fronts and surrounded by a small circle. Fronts printed in full colour, no frame lines, with "Wills`s Cigarettes" across fronts of cards. Backs in blue-grey, with modified Star and Circle ornamental design to permit insertion of Imperial Tobacco Co. clause at base. No. "Ld." after Wills` name in circle. Although the pictures on the cards of this group are identical to those of group 1, apart from the circle, if you compare them to those group 1 cards they have quite clearly been redrawn, so they do count as a re-issue rather than a standard re-print.
well I guess that must be it for this week or you will be too tired to wander round the convention. I will be there in spirit, and keeping up the presence on here, with your assistance. And hoping to see you all one of these years, though it will take a change of circumstance on my part that I am not looking forward to.