Pelham Puppets:
The Story by David Leech Part 4:

A Walk around the Pelham Puppet Factory
Pelham Puppet Production

Pelham Puppets were situated in Marlborough Wiltshire and it was from here that almost nine million puppets were produced over a period of nearly 40 years. From the 1950s, the factory site remained at the London Road site, but it was in a small first floor two-room workshop in Silverless Street, that Bob Pelham began his toy-making venture. It is well documented now, that he began with producing Wonkey Donkeys but had to discontinue with these and sell off his remaining stock on a stall sited on the steps of the town hall at the eastern end of the wide High Street, at the Marlborough Mop Fair in 1946.
The puppet making began in 1947 after Bob Pelham relocated his workshop to Victoria House, no.3, Kingsbury Street, which is situated to the left of this picture of  the Town Hall. The curved building in the picture Below is No. 1-2 Kingsbury Street and not Victoria House (as indicated in my book, Collecting Pelham Puppets) but you can just see the red-brick building above and to the right, this is No.3, Victoria House.

Marlborough Town Hall as it is today

When production increased, it became necessary to find larger premises. Puppet production  was relocated to Elcot Lane in 1952 and Victoria House became the home for the offices and the retail unit.  By the following year however, Pelham was able to purchase the London Road site and this became the long term base  for Pelham Puppets until 1987.

Victoria House
where puppet making began in 1947

The original London Road factory was a laundry, a three story building sited on the south bank of the River Kennet. On October 18th 1961, this building  was completely destroyed by fire. Huge stocks were lost to the flames, including many moulds and the contents of Bob Pelham’s office. It was a devastating blow, but with renewed vigour a  bright new, blue and white factory was built on the site.

The factory in 1967

This black & white photograph shows the London Road entrance to the factory in 1967. During the following two decades, additions were made to the existing buildings as puppet production continued to increase. In addition, land was purchased on the north bank of the River Kennet where the moulding rooms and later, a small theatre and the animated hall- where the animated display units were produced -  were situated. This area was connected to the main factory site by a foot-bridge built by Bob Pelham, and some of his employees!  It was here, amid the quacking of ducks on the river and the tapping of hammers, humming of machines and the smell of coffee, paint and sawdust, that all the beautiful, puppet creations were produced!
Visitors were often amazed to learn that there were so many different processes involved in producing Pelham Puppets, the size of the factory and, not least, to be greeted by a more than life-size Bimbo puppet in the factory reception!

I took this photograph of Bimbo in the factory reception in June 1980. He had just been refurbished, given a clean, new outfit, a bright new head of hair and freshly painted. The following year he appeared on display at the London Palladium entrance foyer during the showing of Barnum starring Michael Crawford.
The following pages will take you through many of the production methods devised over the years, that I hope will give you an insight, not only into the workings of the factory, but will also reflect the congenial and relaxed atmosphere that existed there.
Almost everyone who worked there will confirm it really was a wonderful place to be!

Life-size Bimbo
in factory reception. (c.D.J.Leech 1980)

Part 5

 Text and illustrations copyright D J Leech 1981, 2006