Apparatus for Playing the same.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1887
Specification Accepted, 8th Nov., 1887
Apparatus for Playing the same.
I WALTER KELSEY TAUNTON of 86 Hatton Garden London Gentleman do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of my invention is to provide a game at once instructive and amusing
by means of which the leading characters and events in History may be agreeably
impressed on the minds of children. This object I effect in part by the use of cards
upon which are printed or otherwise impressed the names of Kings Queens or other
rulers, the dates of their reigns and such other particulars in connection with their
personal history as may be important.
My object is further effected by providing what I term a "centre-board" containing
the names and other particulars of the principal characters that flourished, or the
chief events that occurred in the reigns of the Kings or Queens named on the cards.
This "centre-board " which is intended to be laid on the table between the
players, may be made of a piece or pieces of cardboard or other suitable substance,
of any convenient shape, connected together by linen or other material so that the
whole may be folded up when not in use; or it may consist of a box divided into
compartments with spaces for holding counters used in the playing the game.
When the "centre-board" is made in the form of a box, the information
describing the persons or events may be either printed on cards or other material,
or on paper or other material mounted on blocks made of wood, cardboard or any
other suitable substance. These blocks may be of any shape or size to suit the com-
partments of the box, but I prefer to make them rectangular in section in order that
the four sides or faces may present as many different subjects and so vary the
interest of the game. Thus one side of each block will show particulars of
say celebrated men, the next side those of remarkable women, the third information
concerning battles or wars and the fourth notable events; each series of sides or
faces representing a distinct phase of the game, to be changed according to the pro
gressive knowledge of the players. It will be understood that the particular phase

page_text: of the game about to he played will be determined at the will of the players according
to whichever face of the block is placed uppermost.
The invention may be better understood, and an idea of the game more readily
acquired, by reference to the accompanying Drawings in which Figure 1 represents
one of the cards in the hands of a player who, on playing it has to remember and call
out the name of the remarkable character (supposing " characters" to be the
particular phase of the game being played) contained on the "centre-board," a plan
of which is shown at Figure 2. The card I select as an illustration shows "Henry II"
to be the king played, whilst the particular block or portion of a block in connection
with this card represents "Thomas à Becket" as the remarkable character in this
monarch's reign.
The compartment immediately opposite to and adjoining each block is provided as
a receptacle for counters, sweetmeats or other attraction intended as a reward to the
players who calls out correctly the particular character or event in connection with
the card he has played. These compartments may be varied in size as shown in the
Drawing Fig. 2 at A, where the partition dividing the space for the block from that
for the counters is removed to receive the cards when packing the game. When the
cards are removed a block (an isometrical view of which is given at Fig. 3) may be
inserted or the whole space utilised, as shown, for the purpose of a
"Pool" or
"Game."
Although the "centre-board" in the drawing shows the number of blocks as nine,
and the number of compartments for counters or cards as ten, it will be obvious that
I do not limit myself to any particular number of either blocks or compartments any
more than 1 do to the particular size or configuration of the board itself, as the same
may be varied according to the history played or the extent of information it may be
desirable to impart. The Cards and Blocks may be illustrated or otherwise.
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 :-
The method and apparatus for imparting instruction in History by means of cards
and a
"centre-board as herein-before described.
1007

page_text: HENRY II
(CURTMANTLE)
(FIRST
PLANTAGENET)
ADI154 TO 1189-35 YEARS
on of GEOFFREY, Count oF ANJOU AND
MAUD Daughter of HENRY I
Married :-
ELEANOR Oι κοιτου.
Issue:-
POUR SONS HENRY, GEOFFREY,
TUCHARD AND JOHN.
Succeeded
BY