Ullmann Family Corgi Collection

I am fortunate to be the grandson of Philipp and the son of Henry who were founder/chairman and directors of Mettoy-Playcraft. I thought I might share a few memories about how my life connected to Mettoy and Corgis.

The collection started in the late 1950’s and continued right through the 1980’s. We would be brought pre-production models and normally two at a time to stop any squabbles that happen between young boys. Some of the ones here are the original tin-floored models but, unfortunately, no mechanical ones. Both my brother and I had our favourites and, yes, it’s obvious which ones we played with most of all. But on the whole, they’ve had an easy life.

I would be lucky enough to spend time at the two factories at St James (Jimmy’s End) in Northampton, where we lived, and in Swansea at Fforestfach the huge factory employing 5000 in its prime. I remember the sample room where other manufacturer’s toys were stored after being taken apart by our boffins to see if there was anything new to learn. Just think, when the factory eventually closed, this whole room, probably 40 metres by 20 metres by 5 metres high, filled with closely packed shelves was thrown in the skips! Of course this was way before collecting, Vectis and E-bay…..but it does make one weep!

I would spend time in the school holidays roaming quite freely around the Northampton factory (what health and safety?!?) getting under the feet of Marcel (Van Cleemputs) and his team trying to see what they were working on and what was coming out next. There was a special room along the corridor that made up merchandise to be sent to retailers, such as Aurora (plastic) kits, as Mettoy had the UK franchise then. They would also use their spray booths to paint the new Corgis so that they got the colour scheme right.

We also produced the Wembley range of balls at St James’ including Space-Hoppers. In fact, 1966, I spent time inspecting them for a month or so – pay-back time for the Corgi’s I had been given previously.

We weren’t always the best behaved children. One time in Swansea, my brother and I dressed up as cowboys and raided the Sample Room and had 5 water pistols and rifles each’. We then “raided” the typing pool and ruined a whole morning’s worth of typists work – remember this was the days of three sheets of paper with carbon between them. We got a right telling off across the knees of Adam Heaton, the factory Director and, I think, Howard Fairbairn – nothing more than we deserved.

Yes, the factory was a bit patriarchal but, on the whole, there was respect going both ways – the business provided employment and the staff did a really good job. The family had always looked after its workforce and provided a fund for those in need should it ever be needed – I think it is still going today.

Interestingly, in Northampton anyway, the (female) workforce shifted between us and three other employers about every six months. So the girls would move between Mettoy, Avon (cosmetics) Timken (roller bearings) and Express lifts! It wasn’t that they didn’t like us, they just wanted the local gossip and news from a different angle! Their cards were always held handy as we knew they would return in six or twelve months. Remember this is pre-Corrie, East Enders and smart-phones.

For myself, I owe a great thank you to Jim Coulter who was the factory manager in Northampton and helped dad buy a Riley Gamecock, for my brother, a model which I kept for 42 years. I have had other Rileys but am now back with another Gamecock - a model never made as a Corgi unfortunately.

The more modern collection on sale was sent to dad after he retired whenever a new model was produced - then, never opened – so really MIB.

Hopefully, these toys on sale today will go to good homes and be enjoyed as much as we have enjoyed them for many years to come.











A couple of bits of interesting information about Mettoy:

My father came back from America in 1947 and joined the board using his extensive knowledge of engineering. He became friends with another engineer John (Aherne) Heron who the War Department had introduced to Mettoy. John “re-discovered” the method of lost-wax casting used by Florentine sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti whilst making the Bapistry Doors, The Gates of Paradise, between 1425 and 1452. This process enabled Mettoy to produce smaller parts for the war effort efficiently and fast with a high degree of reliability.

Little known fact is that Mettoy produced many small parts for other companies such as Gillette razors and Lotus cars. Sometimes, they missed an opportunity such as when a Mr Maclaren suggested they might like to produce his new baby stroller and they, the board, decided it would never take the place of the large traditional Silver Cross pram – Can’t win them all!

Still, they had success with Petite, Champion, Jouef, Aurora and many other toys over fifty years – not so bad.

For the record, my favourite……either the Cooper Maserati or the Lotus XI