victorianclassicantique:

Happy Families, A New and Diverting Game for Juveniles

• Object:

  Card game

• Place of origin:

  London, England (published)

• Date:

  ca. 1860 (published)

• Artist/Maker:

  Tenniel, John (Sir), born 1820 - died 1914 (designer) 
  John Jaques & Son Ltd. (publishers)

Happy Families was one of the first card games devised to amuse rather than educate children. It was developed by John Jaques & Son of London in the 1860s. The company was responsible for introducing into England the idea of cards showing families of four, each of which has an appropriate name relating to the father’s occupation, such as Bun the Baker or Soot the Sweep. The early sets were famously illustrated by Sir John Tenniel who was the illustrator of Lewis Caroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass. Following Jaques’ first sets of Happy Families, many publishers copied his idea, sometimes changing the name to Funny, Cheery or Merry Families.