Chad Valley (toy brand)
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Toy manufacturing |
| Founded | early 1800s |
| Founder | Anthony Bunn Johnson |
| Headquarters | Birmingham , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Kenneth Horne (Chairman and Managing Director, 1956–1958) |
| Products | Toys, including soft toys, teddy bears, tin plate toys, jigsaw puzzles |
| Owner | Sainsbury's |
Number of employees | Over 1,000 (circa 1960) |
Chad Valley is a well-known British toy brand currently owned by Sainsbury's.
History
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Originating from a printing enterprise founded by Anthony Bunn Johnson in Birmingham during the early 1800s, the company later transitioned under the leadership of his son Joseph and grandson Alfred to Harborne, a suburb situated in the valley of the Chad Brook. This location inspired the company's name, derived from the Chad Valley area.
Prior to World War I, Chad Valley expanded into producing soft toys, notably mass-manufacturing their new Teddy bears in Harborne.[1]
In 1938, Chad Valley was awarded a royal warrant as 'Toymakers to H.M. The Queen'.[2] Following Princess Elizabeth's accession to the throne in 1952, this warrant was updated to 'Toymakers to H.M. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother'.[1]
During the Second World War, Chad Valley ceased toy production and instead contributed to wartime manufacturing by producing items such as wooden cases for instruments, barrels for anti-aircraft guns, hospital beds, as well as electrical coils and starters.[2]
Toy manufacturing recommenced in 1945 with the introduction of tin plate toys. Initially, production was subcontracted to Metal Box, a firm possessing the necessary expertise and machinery for printed toys. Due to the success of this tin plate collection, Chad Valley brought manufacturing back in-house by 1946. To facilitate this, they acquired several companies: AS Cartwright for metal cutting and folding, Winfield for clockwork mechanisms, and Barronia Metals along with True to Type Products for precision engineering.[3]
Between 1956 and 1958, radio personality Kenneth Horne served as Chairman and Managing Director of Chad Valley.[4]
Throughout much of the twentieth century, Chad Valley stood among the leading toy manufacturers in the UK. By 1960, it operated seven factories with a workforce exceeding 1,000 employees. However, during the 1970s, multiple factories were closed and reductions in staff and output took place; by 1975 only two factories remained operational. In 1978, ownership transferred to Palitoy.[2]
The brand was acquired by Woolworths in 1988 and remained active until Woolworths' collapse in 2009. Subsequently, Home Retail Group, which owns retailers such as Homebase and Argos, purchased Chad Valley for £5 million in January 2009.[5] Presently, Chad Valley products are sold exclusively through Argos. In March 2016, Sainsbury's completed its acquisition of Home Retail Group for around £1.4 billion, integrating Chad Valley into its portfolio.[6]
References
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External links
- Chad Valley Toys (dedicated enthusiast website)
- Pages with reference errors
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- Commons category link is locally defined
- 1860 introductions
- Manufacturing companies based in Birmingham, West Midlands
- Toy brands
- Toy companies of the United Kingdom
- F. W. Woolworth Company
- Teddy bear manufacturers
- British royal warrant holders