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

McReavy, Anthony

ISBN 10: 009188117X / ISBN 13: 9780091881177

Published by Ebury Press, 2002

About this Item

Seller Inventory # U9780091881177

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Toy Story: The Life and Times of Inventor Frank Hornby
• Publisher: Ebury Press
• Publication Date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 009188117X
• ISBN 13: 9780091881177
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1776687044.
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: 47124403
• Signed: 4/20/2026 12:10:44 PM
• Seller catalogs:
  • 2
  • 9780091881177
  • U

About this title

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 lived in Liverpool, and while working as a bookkeeper for a meat importer, he became frustrated by the range of toys in Britain and 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. Encompassing social history, politics and changing attitudes towards children this is a beautifully written life story of an unsung hero.

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.