Pollock's Toy Museum

51°31′13″N 0°8′7″W / 51.52028°N 0.13528°W / 51.52028; -0.13528

Pollock's Toy Museum earlier premises on Scala Street

Pollock's Toy Museum is a small museum at two sites in London, England: the Whitgift Centre in Croydon and at Leadenhall Market.[1]

A display of dolls

The museum was started in 1956 in a single attic room at 44 Monmouth Street, near Covent Garden. As the enterprise flourished, other rooms were taken over for the museum and the ground floor became a toyshop. By 1969 the collection had outgrown the Monmouth Street premises and Pollock's Toy Museum moved to 1 Scala Street, with a museum shop on the ground floor to contribute to its support. The museum had vintage teddies, dolls' houses, rocking horses, miniature theatres, electric train sets and antique models on display.[2] The museum continues today to be run by the grandson of the founder Marguerite Fawdry.[3]

Collection of playing cards, Pollock's Toy Museum London
Masks, Pollock's Toy Museum London, July 2009

The museum announced on 18 January 2023 that it had not secured a new lease on its building and was looking for a new venue.[4] The venue was closed, and staff and volunteers moved the stock into storage. The museum's collection is now divided between two pop-up locations: in the Whitgift Centre in Croydon and at Leadenhall Market. This is a temporary solution while a new permanent home is sought.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Welcome to Pollock's Toy Museum". pollockstoymuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Spectacular sights we lost in recent years | loveexploring.com".
  3. ^ "Pollock's Toy Museum". Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Pollock's Toy Museum forced to close". ianVisits. Retrieved 18 January 2023.