Pelham Puppets

 

Pelham Puppets were first made in the UK in 1947 as ‘Wonky Toys Ltd’. In 1948, the company changed its name to Pelham Puppets and made marionettes, glove puppets, rod puppets and ventriloquist puppets. The quality of the toys was high, they were sturdily manufactured and featured hand-crafting in their production – particularly of note in the individually hand-painted faces.

The factory was based in Wiltshire until it was sold in the early 1990s when it moved to Gloucestershire and finally went into liquidation in 1993. In 2008 the Pelham Puppet company was revived by a former employee, and historian of the Pelham Puppet company, David Leech, www.pelhampuppets.uk.com.

Puppet construction varied depending on the range. The LS range of 12 inch puppets had half wooden ball feet, wooden heads, and were held together with waxed string. The SS range had wooden toggle feet and screw eyes holding the body together. The SL range, usually had moulded heads. The SM range, with moving mouths, were usually made from larger wooden balls for heads but some had molded heads. The JC range, was a smaller simpler puppet for younger children, and the Jumpette range – yet smaller and even simpler – for infants and toddlers. The A or Animal usually non-anthropomorphic versions of animals. The Minipup a range of smaller animal puppets. The WH range, was similar to the JC puppets except these were the first Pelham Puppets to have printed faces. The Vent range, was a simple ventriloquist puppet range made from 1968 onwards.