"The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards"
                              History
                         this article is from a book:

John G.Thorpe
"The Playing Cards of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards"
InterCol,  London, 70 p., 1991, second edition
ISBN 85259-301-5
© 1991 by InterCol London
The Company of the Mistery of Makers of Playing Cards of the City of London was founded by charter granted by King Charles I on 22 October 1628. The card makers of London were having a difficult time, so, from 1 December in that year, all future importations of foreign playing cards into England or Wales was forbidden, and all Customs Officers were to confiscate any such items. The Company was constituted in the name of the Master, Wardens and Commonalty (Freemen) and granted a Common Seal. To this very day on St. Andrew's Day (30 November), or within two days thereof, each year a Master and two Wardens have to be appointed for the ensuing twelve months.
The Charter then set down what the King wanted in return for losing the duty due to the ban on foreign playing cards. The Company was to pay a duty of two shillings per gross on all playing cards and a further one shilling per gross to the Officer appointed as Receiver of the Duty. This worked out as one farthing per pack. In addition the Company had to agree to make sufficient playing cards for everyone and at a price no higher than that charged for foreign cards sold in England during the previous seven years. All cards were to be sealed by the Receiver, and every maker of cards was to have a stamp or mark of his own name or invention so that the Receiver could distinguish who was the maker of the cards. The Receiver was always to be a Freeman of the Company and any maker of playing cards had to be a Freeman of the Company or one who had served a seven years' apprenticeship. The Company was allowed supervision of the trade in the City of London and other towns and places within a distance of ten miles away from the said city.
Despite these provisions there were further petitions in later years by card makers, and as a result the King issued a further proclamation and proceedings were once again instigated against parties infringing the ancient laws and statutes. Then in 1712 there came a time when the Company ran into difficulties due to heavier duties imposed by Parliament. To oppose legislation the Company had to sell a house in Spitalfields for ?38 10s. Qd. The Act introduced included the stipulation that one of the cards must be stamped or marked on the printed side, and as a result the Commissioners for the Stamp Duties chose the Ace of Spades to be stamped on its face and it has remained so ever since.
On and after 11 June 1711 the tax was increased to sixpence per pack, then to one shilling per pack from 1756, one shilling and sixpence after 1 June 1776, two shillings after 1 August 1789, and two shillings and sixpence from 1801 onwards. The high tax led to evasion of payment and sales were falling, so it was reduced once again to one shilling per pack in 1828. Finally the tax was changed to an Excise Duty and reduced to three pence per pack after 1 September 1862, and there it remained until the abolition of duty on 4 August 1960.
In 1792 it was proposed that the Company should obtain a Livery. This was granted by the Court of Aldermen on 27 November and the number of members of the Livery Company was limited to one hundred. Later, on 21 July 1903, the Court of Aldermen agreed to grant an increase and the numbers were limited to one hundred and fifty. Although many are not directly connected with the playing card industry there are still card makers amongst its Freemen or those who are associated with the present companies manufacturing playing cards.
In 1882, at the annual banquet to mark the installation of the New Master and Wardens of the Company, each liveryman was presented with two packs of cards in a leather case specially designed for the occasion. At that time the Company contained 73 liverymen who afterwards had to attend each dinner in order to receive the cards. Over the next five years the Livery gradually increased to the full complement of 100, and in 1893 it was resolved that every liveryman should be entitled to receive a single pack of cards whether he was present at the installation banquet or not, and members of the Court should receive a double pack. Nowadays all liverymen receive a twin pack. This presentation has become an annual custom and similar gifts have been made every year. A portrait of the Master for the year now appears in the centre of the Ace of Spades, with his name and those of the two Wardens and the Clerk appearing below. The design on the backs of these cards shows some important event that has occurred during that year. The Arms of the Worshipful Company are incorporated in the design. Two packs are issued each year, each one with a different coloured border or background but sometimes even with different pictures entirely.
In 1897 the Company first offered a prize for the best design for the backs of the special packs of cards, known as "The H. D. Phillips Prize". Mr. H. D. Phillips was the Father of the Company. He became a member in 1845, elected a member of the Court in 1851, and Master in 1854, 1861, 1872 and 1896. To commemorate his long service the Members of the Court and Livery established the annual prize and his name continued in perpetuity. In 1907 Mr. H. D. Phillips presented his collection of playing cards to the Company. By arrangement with the City Corporation it is housed in the Guildhall Library and, by appointment is open for public inspection. Additional packs are added year by year.
Extra packs have been issued on various occasions, including the Coronations of King Edward VII and King George V. In 1897 a special pack was produced to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, and both the Queen and the Prince of Wales were pleased to accept from the Company a double pack enclosed in specially made cases. In 1911 the installation pack depicted the Great Delhi Durbar and a special presentation pack was accepted by King George V and Queen Mary from the Master and the Clerk at Buckingham Palace. In 1906 the Prince and Princess of Wales visited India and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales visited the Colonies in 1920; after both occasions Their Royal Highnesses accepted specimens of the cards issued to commemorate their visits. In 1929 the Company went to the expense of asking Messrs. Asprey to design and make a special case containing one dozen packs of cards for presentation to King George V, in order to join with the people of Britain in giving thanks for his recovery from the serious illness from which he very nearly died.
In 1915 special cards were designed and inscribed For the use of the Defenders of the Empire. These were supplied to the War Hospitals at home and abroad and nearly 20,000 were distributed for the use of British soldiers and sailors. The year 1928 saw the Tercentenary of the Granting of the Charter and this was commemorated with a special pack issued in commemoration of the 300 years anniversary and presented to liverymen at a banquet held on the actual Tercentenary date, 22 October.
At the Annual Dinner in December, in addition to the pack of cards, each liveryman was presented with a booklet containing cartoons about playing-cards, specially drawn by H. M. Bateman in commemoration of the 300th Anniversary and titled "The Secrets of Success".
Every year the design and official photo that is always used on the Ace of Spades is entered in a leather bound book that is housed in the Guildhall called the "Clulow Book of Portraits and Designs". In that book is also shown the names of the Clerks of the Company.
The 1935 Jubilee design was unusual because the double presentation pack showed two different pictures. One showed the Reception of King George V and Queen Mary at Temple Bar and the other showed their Reception at St. Paul's Cathedral for the special Thanksgiving Service. The year 1973 was another occasion when twin packs were issued with different pictures to celebrate the Wedding of H.R.H. Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips.
During the Second World War some playing card makers in the United States generously made donations to relieve hardship in the United Kingdom playing card industry, caused by destruction or damage to some of the factories. To assist relief from such hardship the Company agreed to the sale of 30,000 packs of cards in the United States and Australia, the cards bearing on the back the 1941 design showing the damage to Guildhall in December 1940 when some of the records of the Company were destroyed by enemy action in the Blitz on London. However, only a limited number of packs were so used due to shipping and other difficulties. During the earlier War years it was impracticable to hold the Annual Livery Dinner but in 1944 a Livery Luncheon was held at the Grocer's Hall, the first major gathering since the outbreak. The design of the cards commemorated the D-Day landings in Normandy.
In 1953, the Coronation Year of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, it was decided that Ladies might be invited as guests to the Livery Dinner held at Grocer's Hall on 3 December. The Master presented to all the Ladies a gift box containing two packs of playing cards, together with two packs of patience cards, the backs of which bore a portrait of Her Majesty. Afterwards the Court of the Company decided that 1953 should be an exceptional year and it reverted thereafter to the old tradition of not admitting Ladies to the Annual Livery Dinner. However, in 1981, Ladies were again admitted to the Annual Livery Dinner at the Mansion House due to the fact that a Lady Sheriff attended the Dinner in her official capacity for the first time and Ladies have continued to attend since then.
As regards the cases in which the cards are found: -The early single slide cases up to around 1902 always have the City of London shield hanging below the Coat of Arms of the Company and are always coloured light blue or dark green. Single and double, the special packs have special cases. The 1914 single and double cases are always beige. The 1919 single and double cases are always white (the double being white suede). B.etween the two World Wars the slide cases were often dark green but there are examples in red and dark blue and if some were left over from the previous year then they were used for the current issue so that in one year different coloured cases can be found. - With the double cases they are leather tuck cases with an oval shield in gold until approximately 1891. From then until approximately 1902 the Company's Coat of Arms with varying borders is used and then a standard double case in different colours is used until the 2nd World War. From 1941 double or single cases are found with specimen cards stuck to the outside. -Then in 1959 came the plastic cases with the Company's Coat of Arms etched in gold - or silver for the Silver Jubilee - and packed in gold cardboard boxes each year.
The Company no longer exercises drastic powers over the playing card trade though it still continues to watch over its interests. A Trust Fund was inaugurated in 1943 and is administered by the Company. The purpose of the Trust is the relief or education of poor and needy persons who are, or have been, employed in the manufacture of playing cards, or their dependants. The Fund was named "The Cutler Trust", having been formed in the year of the Mastership of Lindsay Cutler. Nowadays, with few makers of playing cards in the trade and a dwindling trade in England, the Trust has been widened and funds are also allocated to bursaries for students under the age of 25 for educational purposes, as well as financial aid for a number of charities to help overcome poverty and suffering. Today the Company has a waiting list for entry into the Livery, and although at no time in its history has it possessed its own Hall, it still upholds the ancient traditions of the City of London and its Livery Companies.
The Coat of Arms of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards
Gules, on a cross argent, between the four ace-cards proper (viz. the ace of hearts and diamonds in chief, the ace of clubs and spades in base), a lion passant gardant of the first.
Crest: on a wreath an armed arm erect, holding in the hand an ace of hearts, all proper. Supporters: two men in armour complete, proper, garnished or; on each a sash gules.
Motto: CORDE RECTO EL ATI OMNES - "with an upright heart all are exalted".
The true origin of the Coat of Arms of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards is unknown and no reference to its adoption appears in the Company's records. The earliest example found occurs in 1739 and the Arms are referred to in W. Maitland's History of London (1739) page 603, but nevertheless they originated without authority. These Arms are engraved on the earliest article of plate belonging to the Company, a large oval snuff box made in oak with silver mounts, which was presented to the Company in 1880 by Robert Berridge, two years before they were included in the design on the installation playing cards introduced in 1882.
The Company's Coat of Arms and the Crest have been used for years without ever having been properly registered and their use formally granted. The design is shown for example on the issue of 1891 or on the boxes. - In 1980 the Court decided to take the necessary steps to register the Arms and in 1982 during the course of a Court Dinner on 31 March, the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms from the Royal College of Heralds presented the Letters Patent to the Company together with suitable descriptions and explanations. (The Coat of Arms is shown on the 1982 card.)