Meccano: Twentieth Century Toys
Museum of Liverpool Life & Merseyside Maritime Museum
2 June - 28 October 2001
One hundred years on, Meccano, Dinky and Hornby toys still feature in shops and
hobby fairs worldwide. Meccano: Twentieth Century Toys, a new two-part
exhibition, opened at the Museum of Liverpool Life and Merseyside Maritime
Museum on 2 June 2001.
The exhibition explored the life and ideas of Meccano's inventor Frank
Hornby and took a look at collectors' passions for models and toys.
Museum of Liverpool Life
At the Museum of Liverpool Life the exhibition surveyed the inspiration and
creativity of the early factory, taking a look at work in the tool room, model
room, paint shop and offices.
It also explored the outings, sports teams, Meccano Guild and annual Miss
Meccano pageant making up the social life of workers.
An appeal for former Meccano workers to come forward was launched in November
2000 and the response was tremendous.
Curator Sharon Brown explains:
"We had an incredible response to our appeal for former workers to come and
tell us about their experiences of Meccano. Meccano has touched so many
people's lives - there was clearly a strong bond between workers."
Displays focus on factory and social lives illustrated by letters, trophies,
toy moulds, Dinky Toys and Meccano.
The display revealed how the mainly-female assembly-line workers found that
their social, romantic and working lives revolved around the factory. It will
also explore the end of an era, decline in fortunes and the sudden closure of
the Binns Road factory in Liverpool.
Merseyside Maritime Museum
The display at Merseyside Maritime Museum focused on Meccano kits and Hornby
and Dinky models.
The phenomena of Meccano Magazine, the Meccano Guild, Dinky Collectors Club and
Hornby Railway Company are all explored. The exhibition shows how Frank
Hornby changed the world of play for children in the 20th century.
The exhibition also looked at how Meccano kits were used by engineers and
how Bayko featured in Liverpool University architectural competitions.
Exhibits include a host of big Meccano models of the Titanic, a bridge and
windmill as well as Dinky Toys, Hornby models and Bayko kits.
For further details call any National Museums Liverpool information point or
telephone 0151 207 0001 (international telephone +44 151 207 0001).
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