I recently paid a visit to Sudbury Hall and the Museum of Childhood with my Mum and Auntie. I grew up just outside Uttoxeter so Sudbury was frequented most school holidays. It was one of my favourite places and holds a lot of childhood memories for me, not least the mock chimney that (as a child) you could climb up and along. I got stuck in it once.....I have never been allowed to forget it. They wouldn't let me in it this time, I'm too old and too big. I suppose I could have been rebellious and tried anyway when noone was watching, but I think the embarrassment of having to be removed from it when I got wedged would have been a little too much! We were allowed to play with the old playground toys though- yoyos, diabolos, marbles (I still have my marble collection- don't tell anyone!). My Mum and Auntie were like two young children.
Walking round the museum, there were so many toys and games that I had as a child, some of which I had completely forgotten about. There was a 1980s Lundby dolls' house just like the one I had (and that my parents sold because I hardly ever played with it)- it even had little sockets in the walls into which you could plug tiny wall lights and lamps.
I was also faced by a 'Girls' World'- this was a hideous head and shoulders dummy of a girl with hair that extended out of the top of its head and an array of crayon make-up sticks.
I crazed my parents for one. I played with it a few times. I used the make-up sticks to turn my brother into Adam Ant (he was very tolerant!). I had a nightmare one night involving it trying to kill my brother and was terrified of it forever after. It had to go. Seeing it again, I understand why it gave me nightmares. However it wasn't quite as grotesque as this 'Ondine' swimming doll from the 1880s, which would be enough to give me nightmares as an adult!
You can see a few more photos from the museum here- unfortunately, they are not the best quality as most things were inside glass cabinets. We had a fun day though and for once could be forgiven for behaving like children!
