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Writer's picturePeter Berthoud

Famo

Updated: Dec 27, 2022

Famo, The Historical Card Game


First Published: 1939, Pepys Series by Castell Brothers Ltd., London & Alf Cooke Ltd, Leeds & London

Illustrator or Designer: Not Credited


Contents: 45 Cards + Rules


Famo Box Front With Thumb Cut
Famo Box Front With Thumb Cut

There are 45 cards in the pack. 11 sets of 4 cards, each set representing 1 famous historical character and 3 items or clues associated with them plus 1 Joker.


Famo cards. Boadicea, Sword, Horses, Chariot & Grace Darling, Lighthouse, Oars, Shipwreck

Famo cards: Boadicea, Sword, Horses, Chariot & Grace Darling, Lighthouse, Oars, Shipwreck

Famo cards: Florence Nightingale, Head-Dress, Hospital Bed, Lamp & William Tell, Apple, Quiver, Bow

Famo cards: Florence Nightingale, Head-Dress, Hospital Bed, Lamp & William Tell, Apple, Quiver, Bow


Famo cards: Francis Drake, Bowls, Green, Armada & Walter Raleigh, Cloak, Ruffle, Hat and Plume

Famo cards: Francis Drake, Bowls, Green, Armada & Walter Raleigh, Cloak, Ruffle, Hat and Plume


Famo cards: Guy Fawkes, Houses of Parliament, Powder Barrel, Key & Robert Bruce, Shield, Spider, Web

Famo cards: Guy Fawkes, Houses of Parliament, Powder Barrel, Key & Robert Bruce, Shield, Spider, Web


Famo cards: Dick Turpin, Mask, Black Bess, Pistol & James Watt, Kettle, Steam Pump, Apron

Famo cards: Dick Turpin, Mask, Black Bess, Pistol & James Watt, Kettle, Steam Pump, Apron


Famo cards: Admiral Nelson, Ships' Cannon, Telescope, H.M.S. Victory & Joker

Famo cards: Admiral Nelson, Ships' Cannon, Telescope, H.M.S. Victory & Joker



In his World of Playing cards feature on Famo, Rex Pitts states that:


"The game was possibly originated by Kum-Bak Games in the late 1930s, although never issued by Kum-Bak, when an early rules booklet credits Alf Cooke as publisher.


In 1939 Pepys took over Kum-Bak card games and all successive editions of Famo were published by Pepys Games."


See below for examples of an "Alf Cooke" and a "Pepys" rules booklet. WOPC has an additional Pepys example in the feature by Rex Pitts.



Game & Version Details




​ Famo - Card Back



​​Famo - "Alf Cooke" Rules Front



Famo - "Alf Cooke" Rules Back


"Published by

ALF COOKE LTD., Leeds and London"



Famo ​- "Pepys" Rules Front



Famo - "Pepys" Rules Back



"Pepys Series" device.



Famo - Box Back



​ Famo - Box Top



​ Famo - Box Side Left



​ Famo - Box Base



​ Famo - Box Side Right



​ Famo - Box Front With Flap


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