Hertfordshire Genealogy: Catalogue of F S Cards

The artists "A E" (Archibald English) and "E W" (said to be Edward Ernest Wise) are of particular interest because they came on the post card scene circa 1907, at about the time the London View Company Ltd closed, and they initially produced cards published under the names Mitchell & Watkins, Joseph Asher & co (including Selwell Series), H Garner and H Vertigen & Co, apparently using the same Saxony printer which printed the majority of 1906-7 "F S" cards.

Cards by "A.E. & E.W."

Canon Series - Mitchell & Watkins

Wedding Etiquette

Gentlemen must leave their hats, sticks, etc, in the Hall

17th August 1908

[Cards in this set also "published" by H Garner, 1908]

The Marigold

Daily Wail: Special!! Marriage of the honourable Billy Bankrupt to the rich Miss Goldbags

Notes on Etiquette

Always cultivate a free and easy manner in society

posted 1907

O Merry goes the Time when the Heart is Young

October 1908

Mamma! I wish you would wash Willie Grub's Face - Why? - Oh we're engaged and I want to kiss him

The Ever-green

The Pickpocket's favorite plant

[publisher not confirmed]

Published by H Garner

Golly! I'm in love again

Criky! What a norful pain

'Nough to drive a man insane

by A E & E W

H Garner

April 1908

Unknown Publisher

Dreams - For a man to dream that he has a full grown beard signifies that he will obtain his wishes [back unseen]

The Catch of the Season

5 August 1907

"A E" = Archibald English

Archibald English was born in Lambeth in 1880, the son of Archibald English (a cook) and Edith. In 1901 he living with his parents in Southwark and was described as a "Press Illustrator" and in 1911 he was living with his widowed mother in Lambeth and was described as a "black & white artist". He continued to produce comic post cards during and after the First World War for a number of publishers.

All the following cards are signed "A E".

Teaching his Sister - Perhaps

Selwell Series No 77

Inland Postage Back

(Joseph Asher & co)

Our Office Boy

H Vertigen & Co

(Early Saxony)

posted Aug 1907 [one of a set of six]

Our Traveller

No Publisher

Inland Saxony back

Posted 28 November 1907

The Man who stayed at Home

"I know the right place to meet the right boy."

Thridgould

Ain't men fools? I said he mustn't kiss me - and he didn't

Wildt & Kray

October 1923

"I'd give five quid to be out of this bloomey char-a-banc" "Don't worry - you'll be out for nowt in half a minute!"

Hutson Brothers Posted August 1921

I am seeing more of the girls at Blackpool than I expected.

Corona Publishing Company, Blackpool

Regal Series 1028 Posted17 July 1916

"E W" = Edward Ernest Wise

In the 1911 the most likely "Edward Ernest Wise" was a 34 head master living in the school house, Beaminster, Dorset, but I have not found anything o prove he was " E W." creating comic post cards. Whoever was involved there is no evidence that he continued to create comic cards after about 1910.

The girl who took the wrong turning

Selwell Series No 67

22 August 1907

Our Guvnor - by "E W" (set of 6)

Our Guvnor - Payday

Our Guvnor - Stocktaking

[In Sell well Series No 56, June 1907]

All cards are

Signed E W

no publisher (unless noted)

Early Saxony

Our Guvnor - Dictating to the lady typewriter

H Vertigen & Co - 15 September 1908

Our Guvnor - Too busy to see callers

23 December 1908

[In Sell well Series No 56]

Our Guvnor - Giving a traveller an order (to quit)

The Young Man's Fancy - by "E W" (set of 6)

The Young Man's Fancy

The Ballet Girl

no publisher Early Saxony

5 August 1909

The Young Man's Fancy

The Artist's Model

H Vertigen & Co

(Inland Postage back)

The Young Man's Fancy

The Waitress

no publisher (Inland Postage back)

26 August 1907

Girls I didn't Marry - by "E W" (set of 6)

This appears to be a later series which was printed at least twice (once with a simple post-1906 back and later with a Lined Address back) and mostly unsigned (but see example on right). This suggests the series may have been treated in the same way as some of the "F S" cards where H Vertigen was involved.