Whot
Whot was invented by William Henry Storey in 1935. It comes from the days when friends and family played indoor games by the fireside.
Whot comes from the days when friends and family played indoor games by the fireside, enjoying hours of pleasure in each other’s company. The game was invented by William Henry Storey in 1935. It was first marketed by W. H. Storey & Co of Croydon but was soon acquired by Waddingtons.
Above: Whot card game manufactured by John Waddington Ltd with rules booklet published by W. H. Storey & Co. Ltd., 24 Dingwall Road, Croydon, c.1935.
Above: Whot card game manufactured by John Waddington Ltd for the Royal National Institute for the Blind. Each card is embossed with its Braille representation. Unfortunately, the embossing goes right through the cards so that a sighted person can read the back of each card like any other marked pack. Not much use for a blind person playing cards with the sighted! Whot was popular in Britain in the 1950s and 60s and Waddingtons continued to sell it until the 1990s. It is distributed today by Winning Moves UK.
William Henry Storey patented several appliances for games, including playing card cases, board games, tile racks, etc. during the 1930s and '40s.
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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