Description:

This is a vintage children’s 1970s Chad valley Holly Hobby tin toy iron.  It is approximately 15.5cms in length by 8cms in height, made of a pressed metal tin base with plastic handle.

It belongs to the Chad Valley Make Believe range and encourages little ones as they discover and learn more about their world. Vital skills are encouraged to flourish from early years to school using toys from this range. Active imaginations will be stirred in little ones as they spend joyous hours copying Mum or Dad doing the ironing. There are also small ironing boards to go with the iron.

Chad Valley toys were first made in the 1920’s. Their toys are still being released under the Chad Valley brand, with plenty being released as recently as February 2022. The name “Chad Valley” is derived from the Chad Brook, a small stream located in the Birmingham suburb of Harbone next to where the Company moved to.

The popularity of Chad Valley toys spread to all regions. Chad Valley toys became ‘must have items’ in high society, providing high quality products to the White Star shipping line, to H.M. Government, to the Great West Railway, and ultimately becoming toymaker to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and her daughters Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret. Queen Elizabeth liked to delight her young daughters with Chad Valley fashion dolls and although such quality saw a somewhat hefty price tag – a couple of weeks wages for most – this did not deter the upper classes from purchasing with enthusiasm.

More information:

Date 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s
Material(s) MetalTinPlastic
Item number MBPO371

Questions to help you remember using this item

  • Did you have an iron like this one?
  • Did you have your own ironing board?

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