Progress of the Toy Industry

St Paul's Square, Bedford, 1909 [Z1306/10/58/14]

Friday 9th April 1915: Bedfordshire’s fledging toy industry is making good progress under the guiding hand of Mrs Trustram Eve. Toys are being produced in Bedford and a number of villages, mainly from three-ply wood. An exhibition held at the depot in St. Paul’s Square, Bedford over the past two days was attending by a large number of visitors. Although the workers are only beginners the quality of the toys they make is already remarkably high. Items on display included a watermill, Red Cross wagons and a model of Bedford Station made at Bedford; costermongers’ carts and country wagons from Dean, a doll’s house from Crawley, and school desks and log carts made at Clifton. Many orders were received from the visitors, giving further impetus to the industry. As the only cottage industry of any note in Bedfordshire is lace-making, there is plenty of scope for toy making to grow and flourish in the county.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 9th April 1915