A photographic print of Industry, Toys, Post War

A DYING CRAFT IS SAVED. Probably the best-known and loved nursery toy for countless generations has been the rocking horse. It is a surprising fact that there is only one genuine wood carving rocking horse maker left in Great Britain, master craftsman MR. JOHN BROWN who works at a large toy factory at LEE in South-East London. MR BROWN has been with the firm for 40 years, the last 35 of which he has specialised in hand carving rocking horses, but he is due to retire this summer, and it was thought that the craft would die out completely. Now the situation has been saved, because 15-year-old ERIC HALLETT of Catford was a member of a school party being shown over the factory, and when he saw MR BROWN at work he became interested, and as a result he has now joined the firm and is apprenticed to MR BROWN and will be taking over from him. PHOTO SHOWS: Young apprentice ERIC HALLETT watches craftsman JOHN BROWN at work carving rocking horses by hand at the factory at Lee. FOX PHOTOS 7th MAY 1965 Industry - Toys