Children

#ffffff;" />owned by Lines Brothers, and Hornby Dublo merged
Theatre was the main form of popular entertainmentto become Tri-ang Hornby in 1965. Part of Hornby
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. There wereDublo was purchased by G. & R. Wrenn Ltd. a
large numbers of theatres, with hundreds in Londondivision of Lines Bros. in 1967. Tri-ang Wrenn was
alone. At the time, theatre productions were thelaunched following the merge. Tri-ang was sold in 1971
equivalent of our soap operas today. Everybody knewand in 1972 Tri-ang Hornby was renamed Hornby
the stories to the plays and had their favourite actors.Railways. Hornby Railways became an independent
Toy theatres became a popular form of familycompany named Hornby Hobbies Ltd. in 1980. In 1995,
entertainment during the 19th century. It is generallyall Hornby manufacturing was moved to China.
believed that they were invented in 1811 by a manJohn Waddington
called William West, who had a stationery business inThe company was founded in Brtitain during the
London, when he started to produce printed sheets ofnineteenth century by John Waddington and Wilson
characters from various plays.Barrett. It started life as a small printing firm producing
Toy theatres were usually constructed out of cardposters and programmes for theatre productions as
and fitted onto a table top to be played with. Thewell as other things. It later began printing playing cards
characters were printed on paper and card, attachedand board games for which it became renowned.
to wooden sticks, and appeared on the stage bySome of its most notable games include Sorry,
sliding in and out of slots on the stage floor. DifferentSubbuteo, Monopoly and Cludeo. The company is now
scenes and facades could be added to the basic set.owned by Hasbro.
Wealthy families often had a toy theatreJ. W. Spears & Sons
custom-made.Spears was founded by Jacob Wolf Spears in 1878,
While shops which sold toy theatre material began totrading in both Britain and Germany. The family
surface everywhere, William West's shop continued toemigrated to England and set up an import company
be one of the most innovative. He started to producethat dealt in fancy goods and toys, whilst retaining the
special books of shortened plays for use with toyoriginal factory in Germany. Later, Jacob's sons joined
theatres, called 'West's Original Juvenile Drama'. Thethe family business and it became J.W.Spears &
sheets, which were produced with characters andSons. During the 1930s Richard Spears built up the
scenery, came in different versions: cheaper ones inBritish side of the business as it had became too
black and white which children could colour inexpensive to import goods from Germany. Spears is
themselves, or more expensive full-colour versions.responsible for many famous board games such as
During the 1830s, German manufacturers such asScrabble and ran a famous campaign 'Our games
Trantsensky led the market for toy theatres anddon't need plugs'. The company was sold to Mattel in
related materials. The enthusiasm for toy theatresthe early 1990s.
began to decline towards the end of the 19th century.To read more about J. W. Spear & Sons, click
The quality of material published had started to declinehere .
and became undesirable. Many of the plays producedKiddicraft
for these miniature theatres had not kept up with theFounded by Hilary Page in 1932 at Purley, Surrey. He
times, which was partly due to the nature of the playsinitially produced toys from wood, but experimented
- early juvenile dramas had been based on romanticwith plastics. He introduced a range of 'Sensible' toys
stories or tragedies and the new theatre of Oscarfor babies using plastic in 1939, initially under the name
Wilde and Bernard Shaw did not translate well intoBri-Plax and later as Kiddicraft. Hestair acquired
theatre for children. However, it is also thought thatKiddicraft in 1977 which resulted in a total restructure
Victorian morality also played a significant part in theirof the company. In 1980 John and Elizabeth Newson,
demise, as families felt that plays originally written forleading experts in child psychology, acted as
adults weren't necessarily suitable for children.professional advisors to Kiddicraft. The company
Toy Manufacturers in the UKmoved to larger premises in Bristol in 1984. Fisher-Price
Abbatt Toystook over Kiddicraft in 1989, merging with Mattel in
Paul and Marjorie Abbatt were pioneers of innovative1993.
educational toys in the 1930s. They set up in businessLines Bros. (Tri-ang Toys)
in 1932 selling toys to friends and by mail order fromIn 1919, William, Arthur, and Walter Lines, three of four
their flat in Tavistock Square. Demand was such thatsons of Joseph Lines, established Lines Bros. Ltd. as a
in 1936 they opened a child friendly shop at 94separate business from G.&J. Lines. In 1924,
Wimpole Street, designed by their friend the architectTri-ang Toys was registered. In 1931 they took over
Erno Goldfinger. The Abbatts were his main clients atthe famous store Hamleys. Lines made Pedigree dolls
the time and he designed toys and nursery equipmentand soft toys in 1948. In 1964, Lines Bros. bought
for them. They were concerned with the play needsMeccano Ltd. In 1965, Tri-ang and Hornby Dublo were
of children in general, introducing a range of toys forconsolidated to form Tri-ang-Hornby Railways. In 1971
children with physical disabilities devised by Milanthe company ceased business. Canterbury Bears took
Morgenstern. In 1951 they were instrumental in settingover the teddy bear range. A new company,
up the Children's Play Activities Trust Ltd. to promoteMulholland & Bailie, took over Pedigree production.
excellence in toy design and manufacture. After PaulHasbro bought the rights to Sindy from Pedigree in
Abbatt died in 1971 the business was bought by the1985.
Educational Supply Association.To read more about Lines Bros. and Tri-ang Toys,
Britainsclick here .
Britains Ltd. was founded by William Britain in London,Meccano
England in 1840. At first Britains made tin andMeccano was founded by Frank Hornby and David
clockwork toys and from the 1890s they made modelElliot in Liverpool, England, as 'Mechanics Made Easy' to
soldiers. It also opened an office in Paris, France inmake tinplate construction sets. In 1908, Hornby bought
1905. The company made munitions for both worldout Mr. Elliot and changed the name of the company
wars. In 1954 Herald miniatures, makers of unbreakableand sets to 'Meccano Ltd.' The company went into
plastic toys, became a subsidiary of Britains. In 1966receivership in 1979. In 1990, Meccano France
Britains ceased to manufacture its metal soldiers. Itpurchased the rights to 'Erector' and started selling
was purchased by Ertl Co. in 1997.'Erector Meccano' in the US.
The Chad Valley CompanyMerrythought
The Chad Valley trademark was first registered inMerrythought Ltd. began as a spinning mill established
1897 when the original company of Johnson Brothersnear Yorkshire, England, by W.G. Holmes and G.H.
added games to its stationery range. Various toysLaxton in 1919. Holmes and Laxton bought Dyson Hall
were gradually added to its repertoire including the& Co. Ltd., a mohair-plush weaving factory, in the
introduction of teddy bears and soft toys in 1915-16. In1920s. In 1930, Merrythought Ltd. was founded and
1920 the Wrekin Toy Works was opened inregistered as a trademark. Between 1940 and 1943
Wellington, Shropshire and the company renamed Thethe company began making textile items for the
Chad Valley Co.Ltd. The company was awarded aarmed forces and hospitals, but reinstated toy
Royal Warrant in 1938. It expanded considerably,production in 1946. They joined Tide-Rider Inc. in 1982
acquiring other companies such as H G Stone, makerto export goods to the US.
of Chiltern toys, before being taken over itself byPalitoy
Palitoy in 1978. In 1988 the Chad Valley trademark wasThe company was founded in 1919 as the Cascelloid
bought by the Woolworths.Company by Alfred Pallet near Leicester, England to
Dean’s Rag Book Companyproduce celluloid and fancy goods. Their first toy was
Dean's Rag Book Co. Ltd. was founded in 1903 ina windmill in 1920 that was sold at Woolworths. The
London. The company initially made cut-out doll sheets,first doll followed five years later. They introduced
kites, blow-up toys and rag dolls as well as rag books.Plastex, a non-breakable bouncy form of plastic in the
During the First World War it started to make teddyearly 1930s. Cascelloid was bought in 1931 by British
bears. Deans has undergone various name changesXylonite. The word 'Palitoy' was trademarked in 1935
and factory locations as well changes of ownership. Infor the toy division of British Xylonite. Toy production
1980 the company moved all its production toslowed due to the outbreak of war in 1939. In 1941,
Ponytpool in Wales from where it continues to operateinjection moulding was developed by British Xylonite
under the name The Dean's Company (1903).and was used for Palitoy toys. In the late 1940s, toy
Hornbyproduction recovered. Palitoy was sold to General Mills
Hornby was founded in Liverpool, England, in 1901 byin 1968. It became the Palitoy Company in 1980 when
Frank Hornby, initially making Meccano sets. In 1907 hePalitoy, Denys Fisher, and Chad Valley broke away
established Meccano Ltd. Hornby Dublo trains werefrom General Mills. Alfred Pallett died in 1982 and in
introduced in 1938, but production was halted for the1986, the company ceased trading. Factory, toy moulds
Second World War (1939-1945). Tri-ang Railways,and copyrights were all bought by Hasbro.