Building    From 1914  To 1934

East London Toy Factory

Opened by Sylvia Pankhurst as an answer to the dozens of tiny failing workshops where women were paid a pittance. Toys were no longer being imported from Germany, so the factory employed 59 women to fill the gap. Originally they produced wooden toys and then dolls, followed by stuffed cats, dogs and bears. Sylvia took a taxi full of her wares to Selfridges new store in Oxford Street and cajoled Gordon Selfridge himself to become a stockist.

Roman Road has some interesting photos of this factory and confirms that the plaque's "babies nursery" was a creche where the women could leave their babies while they worked.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
East London Toy Factory

Commemorated ati

East London Toy Factory

45 Norman Grove. E. Sylvia Pankhurst set up the East London Toy Factory and ...

Read More

Other Subjects

George Tuck

George Tuck

Killed, aged 3, in the Downhills shelter WW2 tragedy, 19 September 1940.

Person, Children

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
P. L. Travers

P. L. Travers

Author. Born Helen Lyndon Goff in Maryborough, Queensland. She emigrated to England at the age of 25 and adopted the name Pamela Lyndon Travers whilst writing the Mary Poppins novels for which she ...

Person, Children, Literature, Australia

1 memorial
Brady Settlement

Brady Settlement

From the picture source website: The Brady Boys' Club was the first Jewish boys' club in Great Britain and it was founded in 1896 by Lady Charlotte Rothschild, Mrs Arthur Franklin and Mrs N S Josep...

Place, Children, Community / Clubs

3 memorials
Richmal Crompton

Richmal Crompton

Writer. Born Richmal Crompton Lamburn in Manchester Road, Bury. She became a teacher, but had to give up when she contracted poliomyelitis, and was left without the use of her right leg. She was th...

Person, Children, Literature

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Battle of Brentford, 1642

Battle of Brentford, 1642

One of the many battles of the English Civil War. King Charles's forces were advancing on London. Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex attempted to stop them at the Brentford bridge. A small pitched...

Event, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Charles Jamrach

Charles Jamrach

Dealer in birds and wildlife generally. Born Johann Christian Carl Jamrach in either Hamburg or Memel (depending on source). He moved to London and became an importer, breeder, and exporter of anim...

Person, Commerce, Germany

2 memorials
Claremont Close - WW2 damage

Claremont Close - WW2 damage

N1, Claremont Close

The charming insignia seems to show a roofscape, including a church, all behind a protecting gated wall, enclosed in a circle, bounded by...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Constance Spry

Constance Spry

Floral artist. Born Constance Fletcher at 58 Warner Street, Derby. Educated in Ireland, she returned to England during WW1 as a welfare worker in the east end of London. Her work with flowers did n...

Person, Craft / Design, Food & Drink, Ireland

1 memorial
Foundation stone for Royal Commonwealth Society

Foundation stone for Royal Commonwealth Society

WC2, Northumberland Avenue, 18

The wonderful Ornamental Passions has reached this building (now a hotel) and answered the questions we had about it. To quote: "The buil...

2 subjects commemorated