Walking with the Ancestors - Wrekin Toy Works

The Victoria Toy Works

In partnership with her brother Leonard, Norah founded the Victoria Toy Works in 1926. She initially rented an office at the family plastering business in Victoria Avenue, where she began to manufacture dolls with just six members of staff. The venture proved so successful that the company was soon able to acquire new premises at the former King Street Baptist Chapel in 1929, eventually employing around 250 staff and establishing an enviable reputation based on Norah's motto of 'quality before quantity'. Her success did not go unnoticed by her former employer either and in 1931 Chad Valley made a formal offer to buy Norah's thriving business. Needless to say, she refused their invitation.

The rapid ascent of the Victoria Toy Works company was no doubt helped by Norah's immaculate displays at the British Industry Fair, where she first exhibited her company's products in 1927. On the strength of her work, she was asked to design Harrod's famous Christmas toy window and supplied many unique dolls to them and many other department stores around the world. At its peak, 70% of the King Street factory's output was manufactured for export, as Norah's creations quite literally began to traverse the globe.