The Distribution of US Published Comics in the UK (1959~1982) 15 15

[Yorick]

I love all of you.  This thread is MOST entertaining. 

[Malacoda]

Hey Robot, Albert (and anyone else who can answer this).....

In your collection of T&P originals, could we infer from the indicias when the fire destroyed Oadby and they moved to Thurmaston?  I don't think I've ever seen an indicia that names Thurmaston. Obviously the reprint comics ceased in 1959, so not helpful.   I wondered if I could work it out from things like Galaxy sci fi.  Interestingly, that publication flipped from Oadby in the indicia to our mysterious address in Mayfair sometime around 1957 as near as I can pinpoint it at which point Oadby was definitely still around, so, as per usual, I've just found another question and no answers.  

Can you figure this out from your stash or can you recommend me a T&P publication from the early 60's that I can track down ?

Many thanks, gents. 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/4/2022 at 4:40 AM, Malacoda said:

Hey Robot, Albert (and anyone else who can answer this).....

In your collection of T&P originals, could we infer from the indicias when the fire destroyed Oadby and they moved to Thurmaston?  I don't think I've ever seen an indicia that names Thurmaston. Obviously the reprint comics ceased in 1959, so not helpful.   I wondered if I could work it out from things like Galaxy sci fi.  Interestingly, that publication flipped from Oadby in the indicia to our mysterious address in Mayfair sometime around 1957 as near as I can pinpoint it at which point Oadby was definitely still around, so, as per usual, I've just found another question and no answers.  

Can you figure this out from your stash or can you recommend me a T&P publication from the early 60's that I can track down ?

Many thanks, gents. 

I haven't studied this in any detail myself, but I've seen Thurmaston referred to as the 'sales' element of T&P - it was the headquarters according to Wikipeedonya.

All the indicias I've seen have been Oadby as far as I can remember. 

I did a post on the Top Sellers division in my DC thread last year and they used Thurmaston as a contact address (1970 issue below):

Is there a different Thurmaston address for the relocated warehouse then, Rich?

Coincidentally, I looked over the sci-fi magazines for a bit as I found some with Miller distribution stamps. I didn't spot any with a T&P indicia - will check the copies I picked up - but I did smile at this Sci-Fi title - it wasn't a T&P priced solicitation, but they sure had fun stamping it 

 

[themagicrobot]

Looking through the shelves just found this but it doesn't answer your question but solves my nagging feeling that I'd seen your logo before.

 

The oddly sized Marked for Murder books say Oadby and they were circa 1965/66.When did World Illustrated and Classics Illustrated finish? 

The only things I can think of that were published by Thorpe and Porter consistently through the 1960s and 1970s were the magazines like Mad and the pornography like Sex International and Cinema X. So Mad might be the one to look through if you're trying to narrow something down to a particular month.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:11 AM, themagicrobot said:

Looking through the shelves just found this but it doesn't answer your question but solves my nagging feeling that I'd seen your logo before.

 

The oddly sized Marked for Murder books say Oadby and they were circa 1965/66.When did World Illustrated and Classics Illustrated finish? 

The only things I can think of that were published by Thorpe and Porter consistently through the 1960s and 1970s were the magazines like Mad and the pornography like Sex International and Cinema X. So Mad might be the one to look through if you're trying to narrow something down to a particular month.

Mad's a good shout. 

I used to own a few Richmonds, back in my Spidey collecting days...

 

'tis a good avatar choice.

[Malacoda]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:11 AM, themagicrobot said:

Looking through the shelves just found this but it doesn't answer your question but solves my nagging feeling that I'd seen your logo before.

There was me thinking I'd picked something instantly recognisable from the once-seen-never-forgotten category and all the time I was being beguiling and mysterious.  I guess the Goblin would approve. 

Edited August 4, 2022 by Malacoda

[Malacoda]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:24 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

'tis a good avatar choice.

I would have gone with a redheaded nurse, but that was taken.  

[Malacoda]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:24 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

Mad's a good shout. 

@Get Marwood & I @themagicrobot

Mad's a very good shout.  I was going to begrudgingly check it anyway, because I have checked it in the past and the registered office is always either our friend in Upper Brook St or 30-34 Langham St W1 or the Top Sellers office in Gt Portland St or somewhere else in London, but lo and behold, the subscriptions addresses are indeed, as predicted by Marwood, the Leicester addresses.  Thanks to both of you. 

Tally Ho! 

 

Edited August 4, 2022 by Malacoda

[Yorick]

On 8/4/2022 at 2:11 AM, themagicrobot said:

Mad might be the one to look through if you're trying to narrow something down to a particular month

Why not those other two? 

Geek.

Spoiler

 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/4/2022 at 7:58 PM, Yorick said:

Why not those other two? 

Geek.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

The pages tend to be stuck together. 

[Malacoda]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:02 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

I haven't studied this in any detail myself, but I've seen Thurmaston referred to as the 'sales' element of T&P - it was the headquarters according to Wikipeedonya.

Indeed, but according to them, it was 'Melton Road, Thurmaston, Oadby, Leicester' which is actually a conflation of the two.  Oadby is South of Leicester, Thurmaston is North.  The first address was East Street, Oadby, Leicester and the second was Melton Road, Thurmaston Leicester.  They're about 10 miles apart.

 

Edited August 4, 2022 by Malacoda

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:02 PM, Malacoda said:

Indeed, but according to them, it was 'Melton Road, Thurmaston, Oadby, Leicester' which is actually a conflation of the two.  Oadby is South of Leicester, Thurmaston is North.  The first address was East Street, Oadby, Leicester and the second was Melton Road, Thurmaston Leicester.  They're about 10 miles apart.

 

No wonder Pat took early retirement.

[Malacoda]

On 8/5/2022 at 8:25 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

No wonder Pat took early retirement.

Maybe they're right and I'm wrong.  Of course, that would mean that the factory was 10 miles from the front door to the back door.  Imagine being the janitor for that place. 

[Malacoda]

On 8/4/2022 at 7:58 PM, Yorick said:

Why not those other two? 

Geek.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

OK, so far Mad has nailed it down to somewhere between Aug 63 and Dec 65.  Looks like I'll have to check the porn out.  I'll be back in a couple of months. 

The things I do for you boys. 

 

[Albert Tatlock]

Has this stamp cropped up before?

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/6/2022 at 6:14 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

Has this stamp cropped up before?

I don't recall seeing it before.

It's the right price for a UK copy of the time, 10d, and likely stamped in the absence of UKPV copies for that cover month. Here it is magnified, alongside the 10d Goldstar stamp that we normally see in the second Marvel UKPV hiatus:

 

Do you think that minus 10d meant that the newsagent had to pay you? 

 

[themagicrobot]

Anything is possible for the owner of a (made in the British Isles!!) John Bull Printing Outfit!!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by themagicrobot

[Get Marwood & I]

Outfit number 30 came with a free apple as I recall...

[Yorick]

Have you two just been stamping books this whole time and making up a backstory? 

Note to self: ebay "john bull printing outfit"

 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/7/2022 at 4:26 AM, Yorick said:

Have you two just been stamping books this whole time and making up a backstory? 

Note to self: ebay "john bull printing outfit"

 

Imagine doing that years ago. Stamping up some sixties books with a 9d 'GM&I' branded stamp, releasing them into the wild and then watching insufficiently_thoughtful_persons like me try to work out who they were 60 years later as they slowly cropped up on eBay.....