Two very special guests, from a different island, turned up at the Manx Museum last week, and those with slightly longer memories of 1980s children’s TV shows may just recognise them.

Red and Boober, two of the characters from the Jim Henson puppet show Fraggle Rock, are one the island to take part in a new exhibition, Playful Pasts: Our journey with Toys, and it is a celebration of toys and play on the Isle Of Man.

It has been created by Manx National Heritage and a top UK-based toy designer, and it is hoped they will encourage people to share their own toy stories before the opening of the display.

Exploring the museum with the two colourful characters was toy designer Steve Allen, who has worked with some of the biggest toy manufacturers, as well as Henson’s, Aardman animation and Disney, producing many of the toys, products and figures that will be instantly recognisable to most people in any way familiar with popular culture through the 1980s and onwards.

Steve is bringing some incredibly rare items from his collection to be included in the exhibition, including prototype models for toys and figures, including Red and Boober.

These are original prototypes that I made when I worked at Hensons in London, when we were working on ’Fraggle Rock’ and ’Muppet babies’, said Steve.

’Boober is very special to me, as he is the character that actually got me the job in Hensons, back in 1983. At the time I was working for a toy company, and I got asked to do the toy versions of Fraggle rock.

’I was a huge Muppets fan when I was a kid, and I had to take these prototypes up to Hensons to get them passed. I took them up there, and they offered me a job to go and work for the film ’Labyrinth’.

’There are also a whole load of other toys in the exhibition that I didn’t realise I have a connection with as well, like Polly Pockets.

’Parents will hate me, because they will suddenly realise that I’m the one responsible for what their kids have been screaming for at Christmas for years.’

’There are also Wallace and Gromit, Thomas the Tank Engine and many other toys that I produced in connection with Aardman animations.

’I can guarantee that there will be many things this exhibition that you’ll look at and think ’Oh wow, I had one of those!’

Steve is also promising to show some very rare pieces from famous toy brands and TV shows that have never been on display before.

’One piece is connected with "Scalextrix", and I know some people over here, who are big fans and they will go loopy when they see this.’

Anthea Young is curating the exhibition for Manx National Heritage, and she explained that the display will look at toys and their development over thousands of years.

’The collection starts from the Neolithic period. We have a toy axe head, and anything in between that period up until the 1990’s. A really broad spectrum of things and activities.

’The oldest board game that we have in the museum collection dates from 900ad. It is a Vikings merels board and we will be showing that, along with some old dice too.

’We also have some absolutely beautiful art work and toys that were from the wartime, when children played during times of conflict on the island as well. They documented the story of play during those times of unrest as well.’

Anthea is looking for people own individual reminiscences about the toys they played with the experiences they had with them, to help paint a bigger picture of childhood on the island.

’What I would like them to do is to think of their own toy stories, and to remember toys from their own different areas and times, and to send me a email with them, along with their date of birth.’

Send any stories to Anthea at [email protected]

’Playful Pasts: Our journey with Toys’ will open 2pm on Saturday 2nd December until Easter 2018 at the House of Manannan, in Peel.

by Mike Wade

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