Weekly photo challenge – Community
By: Vicky
Tags: Hasbro, Leeds, Monopoly, Streets of London, Waddingtons
Category: Community, photography, Weekly Photo Challenge
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Community, a rather apt word for a post I was thinking of doing……..I should really say Community Chest, which might throw a bit more light on the subject I’d got in mind.
For those of you who are still puzzled – though I doubt there are many – Community Chest is part of a game called Monopoly, a game that involves buying and selling land, building property on the land and collecting rent.
Monopoly was the cause of many arguments in our house, and the 1970’s edition I had was eventually despatched off to a local charity shop…..big regrets about that now 😦
It was designed by an America named Elizabeth Magie in the early twentieth century.
In 1935 the Leeds based company Waddingtons were granted European licensing right to manufacture the game, and in 1936 the well known British version based on London streets and landmarks was produced.
In 1993 Waddingtons produced the first non London edition for the UK. Based on the city of Leeds, it was a 500 limited edition version.
I was desperate for one of these versions, after all Leeds being my home city, it would have been far more appealing than playing the Streets of London so I phoned Waddingtons, but was told they had all being sold, mostly to Waddington Employees and dignitaries.
In 1994 Waddingtons was finally sold to the American manufacturer Hasbro, and since then many different towns have got their own version.
Not a limited edition like my desired Leeds version, but I have now got a version of the town where I live, celebrating the 50th anniversary of it becoming a New Town.
Anyone interested in the history of Monopoly, click on this Wikipedia link.
While writing this post, one tune going round in my mind was The Streets of London by Ralph McTell, so I had to do a search.
What a coincidence where the opening scene is:
10 comments on “Weekly photo challenge – Community”
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I never knew there were local versions of Monopoly, what a great idea. I’ve just Googled and seen there is a Sydney version. And I love that your Leeds is featured on the video clip.
Sentimental as I am, I still have my Monopoly from the 70’s. The packaging is a little worse for where but it is intact. A few years ago, there was [unfounded] speculation of a Princess Bride version of Monopoly, which would very much interest me 🙂
Apart from the Leeds version, I didn’t know of any other cities/towns being used until this week either.
After doing a spot of Googling I was quite surprised how many versions there are now, including a modern Leeds one.
I’d still like the limited edition Leeds one, but seeing one auctioned at over £1600, I doubt I ever will.
Memories, memories eh. Smirk – I still have my version of course, so I had better take a piccy of it for you 😀 I’m not sure if it was my parents actually as they both had a set, they would mutter about a posher set that had a silver boot as one of the pieces, no idea where that went.
The history of the game is fascinating. Because it was made by Waddingtons and they were in Leeds I originally had no idea (pre-internet) that it was actually an American game. Love the idea that the intention was to point out Rachman style landlords just got rich my exploiting tenants. The wiki links don’t mention that the Leeds one was a limited edition – perhaps you should add that to the page?
And the start of the Ralph McTell song – excellent. But then they showed Waterloo (I think) not King’s Cross. Odd. Excellent post for Community – what a neat fit.
Thank you 🙂
It wasn’t planned, it was only at the time of posting that I realised even the video had a community theme to it too.
You must take a pic of your Monopoly and add it here. I think old versions look far more sophisticated compared to the new ones.
After reading this post, I had concluded that Monopoly could be interpreted as the actual doings of rich people.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🙂
It probably appears that way nowadays, but I don’t think it was the inventors intention.
I think so too. I play that! 😀
really enjoyed this post, Vicky. what a unique approach to ‘community’. i haven’t been able to come up with anything so far. in any case, this one brought back some memories, and i learned something new to boot. had no idea that there were any local versions made of the game of Monopoly. how cool is that?!
i don’t know how many hours i spent on the game growing up. since it was just a game, i took great risks and purchased whatever i could, enjoying receiving the rent whenever anybody landed on my spot 🙂 memories indeed.
and the song is an old favourite of mine, although i have only ever heard Roger Whittaker’s rendition.
forgot to say – hello Mustard! haven’t seen you in a while 😀
Thank you.
My earliest memories of the game are my dad telling me I was too young to play it, so when eventually I was allowed I felt really grown up 🙂
I later grew to hate it after finding I was married to the biggest Monopoly cheat ever 😉
I may be wrong – I must Google to be sure – but I think Ralph McTell wrote it and his was the original version.