Story: Cards, board games and puzzles

Four Square Happy Families, 1950s (1st of 5)

Four Square Happy Families, 1950s

Many card and board games have been repeatedly reissued in more modern versions. The card game Happy Families was first produced by the London toy company Jaques and Son for the 1851 Great Exhibition. The original game featured 11 families of four cards each, such as Bun the baker, Dose the doctor and Mug the milkman. In the 1950s Four Square, then New Zealand's largest grocery chain, produced a Happy Families pack based on 12 popular brands in its range. Four of those are shown here.

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Puke Ariki – Taranaki Museum & Library
Reference: TM1998.52

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How to cite this page:

Mark Derby, 'Cards, board games and puzzles - Non-gambling games', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/object/38902/four-square-happy-families-1950s (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Mark Derby, published 5 Sep 2013