Boxed board game Careers, made in England by Parker, 1965

Boxed board game, 'Careers' comprising a rectangular box lid and base, two box inserts, square bi-fold playing board and playing pieces. The cardboard box lid is covered in red paper, colour printed with the game title and three symbols, each in a large white square to the left of the text: a gold star, a green pound sign and a red heart. The paper wraps round onto the box sides with the black Parker Games logo on each box side along with the text 'CAREERS' printed in white. Two corners of the box lid have split open. The cardboard box base is covered in white paper which also covers the sides. There is some water damage to the underneath of the box base. On the edge of one of the short sides there is damage to the card in the form of a 1cm indentation. Inside the box a pale pink plastic insert sits within a brown card insert. The brown card insert is scored and its edges folded up to form a loose box shape; the plastic rectangular box insert has 13 moulded indents to house the playing pieces, score pad and rule booklet. The plastic has damage to two corners.

Playing pieces comprise 6 moulded plastic figures, each one a different colour; two dice; 28 Experience cards, each one printed with gameplay instructions on one side; 28 Opportunity cards, each one printed with gameplay opportunities on one side; 114 sheets of paper money in denominations of 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000.

The game also contains: a paper rule booklet; a printed paper score pad; 16 loose, used paper score sheets.

The playing face of the game board is covered in printed paper. Blue, brown, pink and white coloured rectangles run round the perimeter of the board and contain game instructions printed in black. Snaking up from some of these rectangles are eight paths made up of squares, each of which contains game instructions and relates to a different career path. The game board is slightly warped therefore doesn't lie flat. The reverse side of the playing board is covered in green paper with snake skin texture. A strip of black cotton webbing is glued along the length of the fold. A rectangular printed piece of paper is adhered to the reverse side of the board, with the text 'CAREERS' printed below the symbols of a gold star, green pound sign and red heart.

Given by Mrs June Hilley

The game of Careers was first published in 1955 and this example dates from ten years later. It was devised by Dr James Cooke Brown, an American sociologist and science fiction author.

Even though some parts of this game were made in Canada, it was produced by Parker's affiliated company in Britain, Palitoy, which was based in Coalville, Leicestershire during the 1960s and 1970s.

Parker Games was a big name in North America during the 1960s and 1970s. The company was originally established in 1883 by George S Parker, with George's brother Charles coming on board in 1888 which is when the company became known as Parker Brothers. In 1898 a third brother, Edward H. Parker, joined the company. For many years George designed most of the games himself, and wrote all the rules.

Parker Bros. was bought by General Mills in 1968 and after changing hands several more times Parker Brothers became part of Hasbro in the 1990s.

Parker Games division of Palitoy

This Careers board game was played with over several years by the same family during the 1960s and 1970s. These decades were a boom time for the production and playing of board games in Britain, when companies such as Parker and Waddingtons designed and published a profusion of all types of game.

The 2 to 6 player game involves the collection of a minimum amount of fame, happiness and money which is individually set by each player at the beginning. The first person to achieve or exceed their own 'Success Formula' is the winner. The career options give an interesting insight into 1950s and 60s vocational interests, some more attainable than others; they range from farming, business and politics to a life at sea, fame in Hollywood, moon exploration and Uranium prospecting in Peru. The game shifted with the times and some of these careers were altered for the 1970s edition of the game.

B.70:1 to 34-2015