What were your favorite toys as a child?

Given the availability of toys for children now it seems odd to say that we did not have many toys. Being born in 1941, the third year of the Second World War, meant that nearly all factories were converted to the production of wartime needs, such as armaments and parts for such things as aircraft, ships and military vehicles. Toys were simply not available for purchase. If you were fortunate enough to have older brothers or sisters then you tended to play with their toys but as the oldest child and, for the first five years, the only child of my parents then I did not have any toys that I remember.

Rather there was great deal time spent with my mother, either "helping" her in the kitchen or going for walks where much time would be spent waiting in lineups for your rations of food.Later when we moved back to Wolverhampton then there would be a lot of creative play in the street and garden, Cowboys and Indians, for one. Then any piece of wood became a rifle or spear. It wasn't until I was about 10 that I inherited some toys from my cousin Derek, an electric train set and some Meccano but I think that the biggest treasure was a tin chest full of boy's magazines from the 1930s with such names as the Hotspur, Adventure and Wizard.

That provided me with hours and hours of entertainment. I wouldn't mind rereading some of those again. Perhaps I'll look on Ebay! Joel I think I know what to get you for Xmas!:)