The Mettoy Company plc., toy manufacturer: press cuttings and advertisements,

Transcription

1 The Mettoy Company plc., toy manufacturer: press cuttings and advertisements, Introduction and summary description Creator: Reference: Extent: The Mettoy Company plc MOC/METT 3 volumes, 27 binders Context The Mettoy Company plc. was first incorporated as a private company on 31 August 1932, as the Mettoy Company Limited, although it did not start trading until 1 February It was founded by Philipp Ullmann ( ) and Arthur Katz ( ), both of whom had previously worked in toy manufacturing. Ullmann was the sole proprietor of the well known German manufacturer of mechanical pressed tin toys Tipp & Company in Nuremberg. Katz, whose mother was Ullmann's cousin, joined Tipp & Co. on leaving school. Following Hitler's rise to power in 1933, Ullmann, and then Katz, who were both Jewish, moved to Britain. Mettoy's first premises were in St Andrews Street, Northampton, where it manufactured toys using lithographed sheets of tin. In February 1936 Mettoy moved to larger premises in Stimpson Avenue and then to Harleston Road, Northampton, in Toy production ceased in 1941, when, to assist with Britain's war effort, the company instead produced munitions and military equipment at their Northampton premises and also at a factory acquired for the purpose in Fforestfach, Swansea, South Wales. Mettoy returned to toy manufacturing after the Second World War, expanding their range of products to include injection moulded toys in the late 1940 s and pressure die cast toys in the early 1950s. Mettoy officially opened a new factory at Fforestfach on 2 April 1949, and this became the Company s headquarters in 1952, accommodating all of Mettoy s production and commercial sections. The Northampton premises were retained to house the tool making, sample making, design and development departments. Playcraft Toys Limited was incorporated as a toy trading company on 12 February 1953, and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mettoy Co. Ltd. in May 1954, from which time it conducted the majority of Mettoy s home sales to retail. Mettoy is best known for producing the Corgi range of die cast model vehicles, launched in 1956, although its product range included Wembley vinyl sports and playballs, Sunshine vinyl figures, Aurora plastic model kits, Playcraft Railways, Child Guidance Toys, Electric Highways, the Playcraft Wooden Toys range, and the Berg range of soft toys. Playcraft Toys Ltd. also took over the marketing, on an exclusive basis, of a number of products manufactured by other companies, including the Petitie range of children's typewriters. The Mettoy Co. Ltd. was floated on the London Stock Exchange on 5 June In 1964 it acquired a controlling interest in N&R Green, manufacturers of Warwick roller skates, and in 1966 formed Mettoy Playcraft (Sales) Limited, which took over the marketing functions of both Mettoy and Playcraft. This changed its name to Mettoy Playcraft Limited on 19 February Throughout the 1970 s, Mettoy continued to expand its premises, including the opening of a technical centre in Northampton in 1979 which brought together the Management, Marketing, Design, Development and Toolmaking departments. It became The Mettoy Company plc. on 11 September 1981, but had begun to suffer heavy financial losses. A number of premises were closed in the early 1980's and in

2 March 1983 all operations were moved from Northampton to South Wales. Playcraft Ltd. and the subsidiary companies Wembley Playballs and Rosedale, were sold to the holding company Tamwade in 1983, and the official receivers were called in on 31 October The Corgi range persisted after 1983 with the formation, through a management buy out, of The Corgi Toy Company Limited on 29 March It was to continue production in South Wales until it was bought by Mattel in 1989, and the Swansea factory and offices closed when production moved to Mattel s headquarters in Leicester in On the 7 August 1995, Corgi Classics Limited was formed, following another management buyout of Corgi. This new company moved to premises in Leicester, and in 1996 expanded when it acquired Basset Lowke tooling and property. Corgi Classics Ltd. was itself taken over by Zindart Ltd, a Hong Kong based die casting company in October 1999, before this in turn was bought by Hornby in May Scope and content One series of press cuttings and advertisements ( ) Arrangement This archive has been arranged into the following series: MOC/METT/1 The original order of this collection has been retained. Provenance Purchased at auction, 1992 Custodial history The custodial history of this material subsequent to its accumulation by Mettoy until its arrival at auction is unknown. Access Catalogues and indexes This online catalogue is a complete description of the archive to file level. A typescript catalogue is available at the Museum of Childhood. Restrictions on access This material is open for researchers to access at the V&A Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, during normal office hours. Access is by appointment only. For more information please see the V&A Museum of Childhood's website. Restrictions on use Researchers are permitted to take photographs using hand held cameras for the purpose of noncommercial private study only, by prior arrangement. The use of tripods, hand held photocopiers and scanners is not permitted. Photocopying of archive and library material, for the purpose of noncommercial private study only, is permitted at the discretion of the Museum of Childhood Collections Team. Photocopying will not be permitted where there is a risk of damage to the

3 material. All copying from the collections must comply with current UK copyright legislation. For more information, please see the V&A Museum of Childhood's website. Related Material Archive and manuscript sources V&A Museum of Childhood Makers' Files, including MOC/MATO 46 (Mettoy Co. plc, including Playcraft Toys Ltd. and Mettoy Playcraft (Sales) Ltd.) Mettoy catalogues in the V&A Museum of Childhood object collection; B ; B.356 to ; and B.339 to West Glamorgan Archive Service, Swansea, holds the financial records of Mettoy Ltd. Swansea, Detailed catalogue, Reference: MOC/METT/1 Extent: 3 volumes, 27 binders Scope and content This series contains volumes of advertisements for Mettoy products and press cuttings relating to Mettoy, its product ranges and the toy industry in general taken from the trade, national and international press. Arrangement This material was originally collected and filed systematically by Mettoy according to date and subject although in several volumes the order of pages appears to have been changed. This series has been listed in chronological order. Reference Description Dates MOC/METT/1/1 Advertisements MOC/METT/1/2 MOC/METT/1/3 MOC/METT/1/4 Taken from The Mercantile Guardian, Games and Toys, The Toy Trader and Exporter and British Playthings. Advertisements Taken from The Mercantile Guardian, Games and Toys, The Toy Trader and Exporter and British Playthings. Also includes proofs. Advertisements Taken from Games and Toys, The Toy Trader and Exporter, The British Trade Journal and Export World, British Toys, and other national newpapers and magazines. Including for the Aurora Hobby Kits, Corgi, Playcraft Electric Highways, Wembley Playballs, Mettoy Playthings, the Playcraft and Sunshine Vinyl Toys ranges, and press cuttings relating to The Mettoy Company and the British toy industry in general. Also includes proofs of advertisements Jan

4 MOC/METT/1/5 MOC/METT/1/6 MOC/METT/1/7 MOC/METT/1/8 MOC/METT/1/9 MOC/METT/1/10 Previously in, it has now been split into. Including for the Aurora Hobby Kits, Corgi, Electric Highways, Petite typewriters, Playcraft Railways, Vapour Trails and Wembley Playballs ranges, and press cuttings relating to plastic models, competitions, the British Toy Fair, Arthur Katz s OBE and The Mettoy Company in general. Also includes proofs of advertisements. The material is filed by year, product range (for the United Kingdom market) and country (for overseas markets). Previously in, it has now been split into. 4 binders Including for Aurora Hobby Kits, Corgi, the Child Guidance range, Ex it game, Petite typewriters, Playcraft Railways, Sunshine Vinyl Toys, Wembley Playballs, Champion Motor Racing sets and the Husky ranges, and press cuttings relating to Mettoy's flotation on the stock market, electronic toys, competitions, the Brighton Toy Fair, Company news and the British toy industry in general. The material is filed by year, product range (for the United Kingdom market) and country (for overseas markets). Previously in, it has now been split into 4 binders. Including for Champion Motor Racing sets, Playcraft Railways, Husky, Petite typewriters (including an article on its inventor, Victor Byers), Wembley Playballs, skate boards, Corgi and Playtown construction kits. Also includes material from the Corgi Model Club News, and press cuttings relalting to the Company in general, skateboarding and the visit of Lord Snowdon to Fforestfach. The material for 1965 is filed by year, product range (for the United Kingdom market) and country (for overseas markets). Previously in 1 volume, it has now been split into. Including advertisements for Corgi (in particular the Batmobile and 007 James Bond Aston Martin models), Champion Motor Racing sets, Playcraft Railways, Husky, Petite typewriters and Wembley Playballs. Also press cuttings from the Corgi Model Club News, and relating to the Toy of the Year Award, the Queen's Award to Industry, the Brighton Toy Fair, Company news and the British toy trade in general. The material for is filed by year, product range (for the United Kingdom market) and country (for overseas markets). Previously in 1 volume, it has now been split into. 2 binders Including for Champion Motor Racing, Playcraft Railways and HO International, the Trend Tracker, Husky, Petite typewriters, Wembley Playballs and Corgi ranges. Also press cuttings relating to the Company and the British toy trade in general, the Queen's Award to Industry, the Mettoy Playcraft Show and the Corgi Model Club News. Previously in, it has now been split into 2 binders

5 MOC/METT/1/11 MOC/METT/1/12 Including for Skeelers, Warwick roller skates, Corgi, Petite typewriters, Singer sewing machines, Playcraft HO International Railways, the Child Guidance range, the Whizz Bang, Husky, Wembley Playballs and Philips Philiform kits. Also press cuttings relating to the company and the British toy trade in general, competitions, the Mettoy Playcraft Show and the Corgi Model Club News. Also includes black and white photographic print of the start of a 'Skeelers' race. Previously in, it has now been split into. Including Corgi, the Child Guidance range, Computacar, Corgi Rockets, the Intercom Telephone, Qualitoys, Singer sewing machines, the Space Hopper, Trend Trackers, the Whizz Bang, wooden toys, Petite typewriters, Philips Philiform construction sets and electronic engineer sets, Playcraft Railways, Skeelers, Warwick roller skates, Wembley Playballs, Child Guidance mechanical toys and Husky. Also cuttings relating to the Company and the British toy trade in general, competitions, the Mettoy Playcraft Show and British Toy Fair, the Corgi Model Club News, the appointment of HJ Isner as Company Chairman and the Queen's Award to Industry. Previously in, it has now been split into. Including Corgi, Corgi Juniors, Corgi Rockets, Computacar, the Child Guidance range, Petite typewriters, Philip's electronic engineer sets, Qualitoys, Playcraft Railways, Skeelers, Warwick roller skates, Wembley Playballs, Space Hoppers and the wooden toys range. Also cuttings relating to the Company and the British toy trade in general and Dinky, Matchbox and Britains die cast model ranges. Also an album cover featuring Corgi cars, and black and white photographic print of women dancing with Wembley Playballs. With 'Free Publicity (3) Mettoy Playcraft 1970' written on front cover. Previously in, it has now been split into