WB or not WB ?

Yes, that is indeed the question.

When I started collecting McGill postcards I picked up the accepted wisdom that Woolstone Brothers published the cards identified as 'W' or 'WB' on the reverse. This seemed a fair guess as there are no publisher details on those cards but Woolstone Brothers had issued many other McGills. WB = Woolstone Brothers seemed to be fair enough assumption.

However, as time went on I was not totally convinced that this was right. 

I would be interested to know what evidence there is to back up this claim about Woolstone Brothers because I haven't seen any. The only evidence I have come across is a mention in Elfrida Buckland's book, but that doesn't seem to be backed up with any specific research. 

There is a mention in Anthony Byatt's book, 'Picture Postcards & their Publishers', where he lists an 'Index of Publishers Initials' but that is just stating the obvious - i.e. Woolstone Bros has WB as its initials. The main article by Byatt on Woolstone mentions many of the series names they used but NO mention is made of a series called 'WB'. 

I was talking with McGill collector and biographer, Bernard Crossley, one day and he told me that 'WB' cards and 'XL' postcards were all published by a company called Wilson Bros.! 

That came as a bit of a surprise yet it made immediate sense. 

But, "who were they?", you may well ask as no one seems to have been aware of Wilson Bros. existing as a postcard publisher. However, Bernard had come across correspondence between this company and McGill during the research for his book.

Now that we had another possible publisher for these cards - 'W', 'WB' and 'XL' - the case for Woolstone Bros. being the publisher seemed to me to be on even shakier ground. 

As far as I knew Woolstone Bros. used their 'Milton' trademark on their cards along with their name, so why didn't they do this on the 'W', 'WB' and 'XL' cards ? 

I think it's strange that Woolstone Bros. would produce a series with just 'W' and 'WB' (and no publisher details) which includes McGill and other artists, for a short period and then start the 'Milton Comic/Renowned Series' for McGill and a different set of other artists (which has full publisher details etc. on the reverse). They then revert to producing the 'XL' series which again does not include publisher details. It doesn't seem to me to make any sense for Woolstone Bros. to be changing their style around like this especially when they have such a strong logo i.e. the Milton trademark.

What is certain is that Woolstone Bros. did publish McGill postcards but only under their 'Milton' trademark. 'W', 'WB' and 'XL' cards were all published by Wilson Bros. 

So who were these previously unknown publishers?

I decided to do some research and looked for Wilson Bros. in the London Post Office Directories to see if they are mentioned. These are the entries I found:

1915 edition
Wilson Bros
26 Commercial Road, E
Fine Art, christmas, new year and birthday card, and pictorial postcard publishers 

1920 edition
Wilson Bros Ltd
26 Commercial Road E1
Fine art publishers / Post Cards 

1925 edition
Wilson Bros Ltd
24 & 26 Commercial Road
Post cards (pictorial) 

1930 edition
Wilson Bros Ltd.
80 Gt Eastern Road EC2
Post cards (Pictorial) / Greeting card / Xmas card publishers 

1940 edition
Wilson Bros Ltd.
80 Gt Eastern Road EC2
Post cards (Pictorial) / Greeting card / Xmas card publishers / Calendar publishers & printers

I have been unable to find any specific information about who the Wilson brothers were but this is positive proof that Wilson Bros. as a company existed for 25 years at least and were postcard printers and publishers based in the same area as many of the other well known postcard publishers. The company probably closed due to the bombing of London during World War Two. 

But why were Wilson Bros. not listed in Byatt's seemingly comprehensive book of postcard publishers?

Well, I can't answer that but I'm happy to speculate! I think it has to be accepted that Byatt's book is not comprehensive. 

I have done a bit more research using the London Post Office Directories. I looked at their listing for 'Postcards (Pictorial)' for 1920 and 1930 and then checked to see if they were included in Byatt's book (after removing several that were 'dealers' rather than 'publishers'). The majority of the companies I found listed had an entry in his book ... BUT there were a few that he has not included. I am guessing this is because he did not have any details about  those particular companies. 

There is one company, I think, which helps back up this speculation - the publisher called Moore & Dewdney are mentioned in Byatt's book but only in passing as they took over the premises of another publisher - there is no separate entry for Moore & Dewdney. So here is one company Byatt knew about but didn't include in the main listings presumably because he had no information apart from a name and address. This could easily be the reason Wilson Bros. are not listed. But that, as I mentioned earlier, is speculation on my part !

UPDATE :

In early 2024 I finally came across a piece of conclusive proof that WB cards were published by Wilson Bros. Ltd., and what's more the evidence is printed on the reverse of a Donald McGill postcard - WB 150.

This advertising card was presumably printed for an exhibition or trade show of some kind. Unfortunately there isn't a date, but presumably it will be some time in the 1920s as the company had moved location by 1930.