East London Toy Factory
of 45 Norman Road, London, E3. (1922)
Ditto Address. Telephone: East 0422. Cables: "Ealontoy, London". (1929)
of 74-78 Bingfield Street, London, N1. Telephone: Terminus 3981. Cables: Ditto. (1947)
WWI. Sylvia Pankhurst opened a new toy factory as a response to the failure of dozens of tiny workshops where women were paid a pittance. Toys were no longer being imported from Germany, so Sylvia’s factory employed 59 women to fill the gap. It was a haven for them. First they turned out wooden toys and then dolls: black, white and yellow, followed by stuffed cats, dogs and bears. One day, Sylvia took a taxi full of her wares to Selfridges new store in Oxford Street and cajoled Gordon Selfridge himself to become a stockist. [1]
1920 Registered as a Co-operative Partnership. [2]
1922 Listed Exhibitor. Manufacturers of High-class Soft Animals with Voice; Dogs, Cats, Bears, Rabbits, etc.; Rag Dolls; Mascots; Confectionery and Easter Novelties; Filling Boxes; Fancy Toys. (Stand No. F.13) [3]
1929 Listed Exhibitor. Manufacturers of high-class Soft Toys of all descriptions. Advertising Novelties and Fancy Goods. Riding Animals on Wheels; Bunny Tea Cosies, Teapot Holders, Egg Cosies, Fancy Perambulator Covers. (Stand No. C.16) [4]
1947 Listed Exhibitor - British Industries Fair. Manufacturers of High Class Plush Animals, Real Fur Animals and other Soft Toys, Monkeys, Dolls, Teddy Bears, Dogs, Rabbits, etc. Animals with Electric Eyes, Novelties. (Olympia, 2nd Floor, Stand No. J.2214) [5]
1952 Liquidated. [6]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ [1] Sylvia Pankhurst Website
- ↑ [2] Co-op Archive
- ↑ 1922 British Industries Fair p25
- ↑ 1929 British Industries Fair p53
- ↑ 1947 British Industries Fair p90
- ↑ [3] Co-op