Derby Day

Published October 04, 2016 Updated March 22, 2022

Derby Day race game published by Parker Games’ English subsidiary at Ivy Lane, London, from 1908 to around 1920.

United Kingdom USA Goodall Parker Bros Sports Card Games

Derby Day race game published by Parker Games’ English subsidiary at Ivy Lane, London, from 1908 to around 1920. There are 48 cards (24 with white horses and 24 brown, but with all the jockeys wearing different colours). The player who gets all their horses home first is the winner. See the Rules

Derby Day published by Parker Games (London) c.1920
Derby Day published by Parker Games (London) c.1920

Above and below: Derby Day published by Parker Games Co Ltd English subsidiary at Ivy Lane, London, from 1908 to around 1920. Card back design either in Red or Blue. Plus rules. Cards printed by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd as stated on the rear of the box. My edition is in a double thickness box with one half containing 24 red card discs and 24 black discs all numbered. I believe it was also sold in a single box with no discs.

Derby Day published by Parker Games (London) c.1920
avatar
775 Articles

By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.

Related Articles

1935 Waddington’s faux books

Waddington’s faux books

Waddington’s faux book set containing four packs of playing cards and bridge markers.

1975 Queen of Hearts card game

Queen of Hearts card game

Alice in Wonderland card game featuring Disney characters on king-size cards.

1905 Double Dummy Bridge

Double Dummy Bridge

In the early 20th century several firms began to promote whist or bridge as a game for two.

1898 Ogdens Beauties & Military cigarette cards

Ogdens Beauties & Military cigarette cards

Cigarette cards featuring beauties and military uniforms with playing-card insets.

1995 National Gallery of Art

National Gallery of Art

Fifty-three masterpieces from the collections of the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

1996 Boddingtons Bitter playing cards

Boddingtons Bitter playing cards

Cool-looking courts advertising Boddingtons Bitter, originally brewed in Manchester.

1996 Sea-Dog playing cards

Sea-Dog playing cards

Ships’ prows, figureheads and signal flags promoting Sea-Dog Line marine hardware.

1999 OXO Faces of the Millennium Dinner

OXO Faces of the Millennium Dinner

Twentieth-century personalities promoting a millennium dinner at the Oxo Tower in London.

1991 Kids Fun Box playing cards

Kids Fun Box playing cards

Colourful cards for children with four non-standard suits connected with the natural world.

1980 Tangle Foot Ale

Tangle Foot Ale

Badger Brewery Tangle Foot strong ale advertising pack.

1970 ViVa Bourg

ViVa Bourg

A distinctive deck of cards for a specific promotion.

1970 Sumo Wrestling

Sumo Wrestling

Traditional Japanese Sumo Wrestling playing cards with photograph of different wrestler on each card...

1970 Dancing

Dancing

“Dancing” playing cards manufactured by Nintendo for Torii Dance School, Osaka.

1891 Scientific Whist

Scientific Whist

“Scientific Whist” : standard cards with instructions for play on the faces by Chas Goodall & Son, 1...

1985 Agent Provocateur

Agent Provocateur

Branded lingerie collection in a pack of pin-up playing cards.

2021 Nimbus playing cards

Nimbus playing cards

Mike Steer’s weather-themed pack with suits in four colours and backs for cardistry.