A New Parlour Game.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
A New Parlour Game.
I, HENRY HARRIS of 64 Watling Street, in the City of London, Fireman in
the London Salvage Corps do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement: -
My invention relates to a new parlour game, to be played in the manner herein-
after described.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the two separate portions, which when placed
together form the board.
Figure 2 shows a plan view of the board.
In carrying my invention into effect two pieces of wood are required 20 inches
long by 3 inches wide and half an inch deep. From each piece a part of the centre
is to be cut away 3 inches square and a fourth of an inch deep, so that when the
two pieces are placed together in the parts thus cut they will form a cross.
The cross or board as it is then named is to be divided into 93 squares or 3 rows
each way of the cross of 17 one inch squares.
To do this cut two parallel grooves one inch apart and one inch from each edge
leaving a blank space of one and a half inches at each of the four ends, these
blank spaces should be cut down one eighth of an inch lower than the grooved face
of the board, parallel grooves should then be cut one inch apart at right-angles to
the other grooves, thus making the board into one inch squares, having the blank
space at the ends without any grooves but should be slightly ornamented, and
painted. Each of the four ends to be of different colours, and the 1st and
8th squares in each centre row, and the 5th square in each outside row are to be
painted the same colours as their respective ends. Twelve small blocks or draughts
are required in four sets of three in each set, each set to be painted according to
the different ends or blank spaces. Four dice are also required, one for each set of
draughts.
To play the game, place the draughts or men on their respective blank spaces,
and the player who first throws the dice, (and if he throws a 5), places a man on
the centre coloured square nearest the end and the next in turn throws, if any other
number but 5 is thrown each in turn throws until they get a 5, and a player cannot
place a man on the board until that is done. After a man is placed on the board
each number that is thrown by its owner entitles the player to move the man up
the corresponding number of squares, working round the board to the right on
the outside set of squares, until the player comes back to his starting point when the
man can be moved up the centre of the board until he gets home, which is the
coloured space in the centre of the cross.
When a player has a man on any of the coloured squares, that man cannot be
thrown off the board, but if on an ordinary square, and another player throws a
number corresponding with that square, the latter player can throw the former
off and place his or her man there, the one thrown off will have to make a fresh
start, and cannot be placed on the board again until its owner has thrown a 5.
If a player throws a 5 and another has a man on his or her starting point,
that man cannot be removed as it is on a coloured square, and the player will
have to let his turn pass by until the starting point is vacant.
No player can pass another, and if the spaces vacant are less than the number
thrown by the dice the persons throwing cannot move their man, if a
is thrown

page_text: the player is entitled to two more throws, but that must only occur once during
the players turn to throw.
When a player has all 3 men home the game is won.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. That it is a new and interesting parlour game suitable to be played by old
and young.
2. That very little skill is required in its performance.
3. That I do not know of any game resembling "Homeward Bound" being
in use.
HENRY HARRIS.
Fredk. Walker, M.S.E.,
Engineer, Registered Patent Agent,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.