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Frank Hornby was born in Liverpool in 1863. In 1901 he was living at 10 Elmbank Road, near Greenbank Park, and obtained a patent for "Improvements in Toy or Educational Devices for Children and Young People". This led to a product known initially as Mechanics Made Easy - and later as the world-famous MECCANO.
From the Meccano factory in Binns Road, on the northern edge of Wavertree, also came new products including Hornby Trains (1920) and Dinky Toys (1934). Frank Hornby became a millionaire - and briefly, in the 1930s, an MP - but he always took a keen personal interest in the company he had formed. After his move to a large house in Maghull, it is said that he was chauffeured to Binns Road every day by limousine.
Les French is a trustee of the Frank Hornby Heritage Centre, which has been created within the Meadows Leisure Centre in Maghull - very close to Hornby's homes, Church and family grave.
Les will be bringing along a selection of Meccano products for us to see and examine. He particularly hopes to meet or hear from anyone who worked at the Binns Road factory, or has relatives or friends who worked there.
The meeting - our first 'live' indoor event since Covid - takes place in our traditional venue, the Olive Mount Community Centre. All interested will be welcome to attend (refreshments available). The Community Centre is situated on the ground floor of Monkswell Place, Edgewell Drive, L15 8GG. Car access is from Thingwall Road via the mini-roundabout, and there is direct pedestrian access from Childwall Road. (Enter the building through the wooden gate at the SE corner).
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