Bobs y’r Uncle
“Bobs y'r Uncle” nursery rhyme card game designed by Frank H. Simpson for John Waddington Ltd. in 1935.
Described on the box as a “new card game, a riot of fun, a million laughs,” Bobs y’r Uncle is a nursery rhyme game designed by Frank H. Simpson for John Waddington Ltd. in 1935. The game is clearly designed with children in mind. The cards have scenes from nursery rhymes and six cards are needed to make up each rhyme in a set. Games turned out to become an important part in the progress of Waddingtons, who eventually acquired the rights to Monopoly in the UK, and then published Cluedo, opening the way for their supremacy in the toy industry.
Above: “Bobs y'r Uncle” nursery rhyme card game designed by Frank H. Simpson for John Waddington Ltd. in 1935. The pack contains 54 cards plus nursery rhyme leaflet + rules in a box.
The game was re-published in 1963 with a new box and back design. See the Rules►
Above: “Bobs y'r Uncle”, 1963. Images courtesy Matt Probert.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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