Toys and Games

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Rob Houghton
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Rob Houghton »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:I've never played Greed but we still play board games and card games regularly, favourites being Cluedo, Scrabble, Monopoly, Yahtzee, Last Word, Coppit and Uno. We've also got (but haven't played for a while) a Prince Caspian board game, a Harry Potter board game, a Downton Abbey game, the Famous Five Treasure Quest game, Journey Through Fairyland, Don't Say It!, Minotaurus, Carcassonne, Balderdash, The 221B Baker Street Game, Connect Four and The Nancy Drew Mystery Game.
We don't play many games lately, but i still have loads. We have 'Coppit' and also 'Uno' - which we used to love when there was a crowd of people around. Also have Carcassonne, which was a great game, and the 221B Baker Street game. Also 'The GAme of Life', 'Game of the Year', 'Brit Quiz', 'Treasure Hunt Game' (based on the Tv series with Anneka Rice) and the Famous Five Treasure Quest game. :-D

We also enjoyed playing all the Enid Blyton card games - as I have them all. Famous Five card game, Secret Seven, Find Out, Faraway Tree, Noddy Snap and Noddy Happy Families! :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

The Game of Life is another one we had, though we didn't play it very often.

We've got two games up on a high shelf that we hardly ever play because they take a long time. One is Bal Masque and the other is Civilization. We've only ever played Civilization once and it literally went on for days. It takes up masses of space too and involves lots of fiddly little cards, so it's totally impractical unless you happen to have a dedicated games room!

Edit: Meant to add that I've got some of the Enid Blyton Pepys card games too. That reminds me that my sister and I had a lovely Rupert Snap game when we were children, and another set with wild animals including an impala. We also had Happy Families, Old Maid and Donkey, as did my own children.
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Fiona1986 »

I think my grandparents had that Misfits game, but possibly without the box!

I had Sindy dolls, Fuzzy Felts and Spirograph (a 60s/70s one and a 90s version too). I played with stickle bricks at play-group or maybe school as we had Duplo and then Lego at home.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Rob Houghton »

Anita Bensoussane wrote: We also had Happy Families, Old Maid and Donkey, as did my own children.
We always loved Donkey as kids - and since! Somehow it was always more hilarious than Old Maid! :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

My children had an Old Maid pack with a really scary-looking Old Maid. When someone was pronounced "Old Maid" we'd say it in a low, solemn, spooky voice that sent shivers down our spines!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Eddie Muir »

Chick and I had various sets of card games, including Old Maid and Happy Families, which our daughter and son enjoyed playing when they were children. Our two grandsons, aged 8 and 5, also love playing "old fashioned" card games. :D
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by joanne_chan »

I'm fairly familiar with most of the games shown and still love playing board games cos they're fun and rather sociable.
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Stephen »

I had some basic pre-school plastic Meccano when I was very young, and then a more advanced yellow and blue metal set (with lots of tiny nuts and bolts) when I was older. While I wouldn't say I preferred it to Lego, it was still quite a fun thing to be fiddling around with.
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Eddie Muir »

Metal Meccano sets were very popular when I was in junior school in the early 1950s. I don't recall seeing Lego until several years later, although I believe had been introduced here around 1950.
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

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Rob Houghton
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Rob Houghton »

I had lots of Lego between the ages of about 7 and 10, and also Meccano. When I was young I had a plastic Meccano set with yellow and blue pieces and big red wheels, like this -

Image

I really loved the look and feel of it, and even seeing this box (which was the same as mine!) fills me with nostalgia. I used to love the way it all fitted into the polystyrene, and I can remember how excited I was unpacking it on Christmas day. :-)

Later, I had a metal motorised Meccano set, which I also loved...but in a way I still prefer the look of the chunky plastic nuts and bolts etc!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Stephen
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Stephen »

Oh wow, that was exactly what I had! To be honest, it was so long ago I don't remember the polystyrene box it came in, but those plastic pieces bring back many memories.
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Daisy »

We had this for my children too - much loved and played with and then grandchildren enjoyed it when they came to visit. It is still going strong - minus some bits and pieces though, and now great-grandchildren have the use of it.
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by pete9012S »

Image

Great to read the previous posts about the Meccano and other games and toys others enjoyed.
This is the stamp that immediately appealed to me the most.
I remember the very first time I saw my school friends playing with their Action Men.I thought 'I want one for mine!'
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

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Rob Houghton
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by Rob Houghton »

I had a similar Action Man to the one in the photo - not sure how he is now in our loft...as he belonged to my neighbour! Obviously I was given it at some point.

My own action man, which I had from new, was the Sailor Action Man, and at the time he was very exciting, as it was the first Action man with 'real hair and beard' and also with 'gripping hands'! The hands were rubbery and could grip onto the clothes line etc, and the hair and beard were fuzzy. Sadly eventually the rubber fingers perished and some of his fingers dropped off, lol - but I still have him. He was like the photo below -

Image
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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pete9012S
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Re: UK Toys Celebrated on Royal Mail Stamps

Post by pete9012S »

Great pics Rob! Thanks. This is the chap I started out with and then got more action men - some older some more modern (1970's)..
One Xmas I was bought an action man tank.My cousin was bought the action man training tower!


Image

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History of Action Man from 1966 to present:

http://www.actionmanhq.co.uk/pages/history.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

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