The Toy Story: The Life and Times of Inventor Frank Hornby - Hardcover

Anthony McReavy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 009188117X ISBN 13: 9780091881177

Publisher: Ebury Press, 2002

Synopsis

A single man was responsible for the toys which shaped generations of children. Frank Hornby invented the train set, Meccano, the dinky toy and Scalextric. And yet, until now, there has been no biography of this extraordinary figure. Frank Hornby was born in 1866 to a working class family in Liverpool. Whilst working as a bookkeeper for a meat importer, and frustrated by the range of toys in turn of the century Britain he set up a toy manufacturing company. A passionate and inspired man, he developed his first toys for his own children and by his death in 1936 Meccano and Hornby trains were market leaders. In 2001 Hornby's chairman announced the company profits were booming as twenty-first century adults rediscovered the joys of their childhood. Encompassing social history, politics and changing attitudes towards children this is a beautifully written life story of an unsung hero.

About this title

About the Author

Anthony McReavy longed for a train set as a child. His children now play with Scalextric. As a museum curator in Glasgow he developed a fascination with great twentieth century inventions. This is his first book and he lives with his wife and family in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

From the Inside Flap

’s invention was not a scientific instrument, or even an equation, but a toy: Meccano. Yet his toy inspired generations of children and contributed to the development of engineering, science and invention.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ebury Press
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 009188117X
• ISBN 13: 9780091881177
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352