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As I head to my 72nd, so does a toy I received from my Aunt Jean in 1946.
It is a soft handmade/handstitched RCMP figure, about 9 inches tall, the uniform made of velvet. I came across it yesterday, in a drawer, and noticed for the first time a label on the bottom of the foot:
"Made in England by Norah Wellings" .
From google, this info about Norah Wellings
Norah Wellings lived in Shropshire, England.
After previous experience designing dolls for another toy company, Norah and her brother Leonard opened Victoria Toy Works in 1927.
30 years later, Norah lost her brother when he died in Jan, 1959. She continued running the factory but closed it for good several months later.
Not wanting to sell her designs, and also not wanting them to be left for someone else to profit from, Norah created a huge bonfire and burned everything- her tools, the designs, and all the unfinished dolls and toys. The already-completed dolls and toys went to different societies and institutions.
Norah then completely retired, and died years later in Feb,1975 at the age of 82.
At one point during the business, they exported dolls to US, Canada (probably why she designed the RCMP doll?), Australia and Egypt!
One of the most popular dolls was a little sailor doll. In the 1930s, especially, trans-Atlantic cruises were a very popular mode of transportation, and the dolls were sold on board as souvenirs. She made good money on those!
I believe this 'doll' was sent home from England when Uncle Russell was stationed there during the war.....he died before returning home, and I never met him.
It was always a treasured item....I was very careful with it, and it has survived the years in good shape.
Yes, JB.......I played with dolls!
