The Lives of children in Old Bradwell during WWII

Toys
During WWII materials were in short supply and factories that normally made toys had to spend most of their time making things to help the war effort, like aircraft parts. This meant that new toys were hard to come by.

Emergency service crews and off-duty servicemen were encouraged to make toys for donation to schools, nurseries and refugee camps.

Pictured right is an example of the kind of toys made. It is made up from an old co-co tin, a cotton reel and some scrap wood. The wheels would have been bought ready made.

The home made train may seem rough and ready but would not have looked out of place in the toy shops of the time.

Shown right is a hobby horse from the well known toy makers Triang. It is clearly little more than a banister rail with a horses head and wheels attached

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Train & Booklet from the Toy collection at Bletchley Park.