Manufacturer
LONDON TOY COMPANY
"London Toy Co.", Hawker Hurricane Toy Airplane
Credit LineGift of Dr. J. Malcolm Smith, London, Ontario, 1999
Object number1999.003.182
Label TextIt's a Londontoy ! As the name suggests these toys were made here in London at Webster Air Equipment Ltd at 1161 King Street. Why would a company that is manufacturing air equipment such as air compressors and paint spray guns get into the toy business? One clue may be found in a "Macleans" magazine article from December 1945: the Canadian "toy industry got its first shot in the arm in November 1939, when an order-in-council banned the import of toys as nonessential." In late 1939, Webster Air secured a wartime contract to produce die-cast air pumps for military jeeps. Since only 'pure virgin zinc' was specified by the government for use in these pumps, the company decided the waste material could be used in the production of metal toys. Londontoy was born and various metal toys were produced at the London plant from 1940 until 1949.
NameToy
LONDON TOY COMPANY
1920s
