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Happy Families

Card Game
1914-1920 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Design: named illustrations, printed card; blue patterned backs
No. of cards: 36
No. illustrated: all

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 38 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Card Game Box Lid
  • Happy Families Box Lid
  • Card Game Box Base
  • Happy Families Box Base
  • Card Game Card
  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
  • Happy Families Card
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  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
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  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
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  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
  • Happy Families Card
  • Card Game Card
  • Happy Families Card
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TitleHappy Families (manufacturer's title)
Brief description
Boxed card game, Happy Families, published in England by Roberts Brothers between 1914 and 1920
Physical description
Design: named illustrations, printed card; blue patterned backs
No. of cards: 36
No. illustrated: all
DimensionsSize: 3 3/4in x 2 5/8in
Object history
In many of the illustrations of the children, there is a doll shown; the most horrid the butcher's son pushing one through the meat mincer.

Names: Bumble the Beadle, Chop the Butcher, Churn the Milkman, Hose the Fireman, Jack Tar the Sailor, Physic the Doctor, Rolls the Baker, Silence the Usher, Water the Turncock
Historical context
Rewards: n/a
Forfeits: n/a
No. of Players: any
Equipment required: 36 cards arranged in 9 sets of 4 named illustrations
original box, card covered with dark red paper and a printed label with the title and MADE IN ENGLAND with an illustration of a boy in a sailor's suit sailing a boat on a wash tub.

Rules:
GENERAL HAPPY FAMILIES RULES

Three or more can play and special cards are normally used, each showing four members of a family, mother, father, son and daughter, However, variations have been developed to use groups of 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 to a set. Also subject variations occur and some are educational, for example The Counties of England.

The object of the game is for each player to collect as many complete `families' as possible.
One of the players deals out all the cards. If more than one round is played, the players take it in turn to deal. It does not matter if some players have one card more than others.
Each player looks at his cards and sorts them into families.
It is important that players keep their cards hidden from each other. With young children it is a good idea if they can lay their cards out of view of the other players.
When all the players are ready, the person to the dealer's left asks any player, by name, for a particular card (eg Master Baker). He must already possess at least one of member of the same family, ie Mrs. Baker. If the person asked has the card, he must give it to the first player, who may again ask anybody for a card of any family as long as he already has one card belonging to that family.
He continues to do this until he fails to obtain a card. If the person asked does not have the card requested, it is his turn to ask for cards.
When a player collects all the cards of the same family, he puts them into a pile face down in front of him.
Play continues until all the families have been completed
The winner is the person who collects the most families.
Collection
Accession number
B.263:1-1996

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Record createdMarch 4, 2000
Record URL
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