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

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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 ...

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Other Subjects

Gilbert Johnstone

Gilbert Johnstone

Hon. Gilbert Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone. See his brother Francis for family information. President of the Eton Mission Rowing Club in 1934. Attended Eton, leaving before 1883. The Eton House (pdf dow...

Person, Benefactor, Children, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Francis Lord Derwent

Francis Lord Derwent

Francis Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 2nd Baron Derwent. Army officer and landowner. Attended Eton, 1864-9.  First born son to Harcourt Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone of Hackness Grange, Scarborough. Harcourt...

Person, Armed Forces, Children, Property, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Sarah Elizabeth Simmons

Sarah Elizabeth Simmons

Drowned in the 1898 HMS Albion disaster, aged 12. Buried in grave 1 at the memorial in East London Cemetery.

Person, Children, Tragedy

1 memorial