Pollock's Toy Theatre Shop
POLLOCK‘S TOY THEATRE SHOP
Stood near this site
Founded by John Reddington 1851
Run by Benjamin Pollock & family
Premises bombed in World War II
“Penny plain, twopence coloured”
(McGregor Court, Hoxton Street)
John Redington ran a shop at 208 Hoxton Old Town, better known today as 73 Hoxton Street. His main business was printing, bookbinding and selling tobacco. He also prepared prints for plays for the toy theatre, more properly known as “juvenile drama”. Almost all the plays were written specifically for the toy theatre with a few notable exceptions such as Oliver Twist. The stage sets would include trap doors and windows just like the ‘real’ theatre.
Of John Reddington’s three children, Eliza, born in 1853, helped her father in the shop where Benjamin Pollock regularly bought his tobacco. Before long, he and Eliza were married and took over the business that same year in 1873 with Benjamin throwing himself into the production of Toy Theatres. They successfully ran Pollock’s Toy Theatres with assistance from some of their 8 children until Benjamin’s death in 1937. Eliza had died in 1895 at the age of 42. By the time of Benjamin’s death, the Toy Theatre was very much on the decline.
Amongst Benjamin Pollock’s acquaintances included G.K. Chesterton, Charlie Chaplin and H.G. Wells. It was Robert Louis Stevenson who sealed the reputation of Pollock’s Toys Theatre by referring to Pollock’s sheets as “Penny Plain and Twopence coloured.”
After the death of Benjamin Pollock, two of his daughters Louisa and Selina, continued the business eventually selling it in 1944. As this was the time of the second world war, all the plates were moved to a safe location – fortunately as soon after 73 Hoxton Street was bombed. The business did not prosper under its new owner and eventually closed. However, in 1954, Marguerite Fawdry was looking for some materials for her sons toy theatre and was told of the sorry state of illustrious Pollock’s Toys. A year later she reopened Pollock’s Toys at 44 Monmouth Street and then the following year in 1956 Pollock’s Toy Museum opened later relocating to 1 Scala Street, W1. The Museum was also made a non-profit making educational trust. Both opened on 1 January 1969 and subsequently expanded into adjoining premises at 41 Whitfield Street where they remain to this day.
Page updated: 28 Feb 2007