The local charity shop has come up trumps, once again. I was conflicted on this purchase as to my reasonings for acquiring it. It is a classic toy item, stemming from the 60s, but it is also a toilet…why did I buy it? It was a bit of both, really. The fact it was a classic piece of toy history was key, but the humour can’t be ignored.
Having done some research, I found that the shop that this was bought from was in Stone, Staffordshire. It was in two buildings at each end of the street from 1940s to the 1960s. Purton’s was a seller of bicycles and toys, but I find it hard to see this as a correct price for the time. The one give away that it was likely sold in the 70s, or even the early 80s, was the fact it is decimal. In the 60s, the UK was still using old money. So…I believe then that Purton’s must have continued beyond the high-street with the only image of it setup being a market stall. I did find one of the lower-shop (No.21), that appeared to be closed, during a passing parade.
This particular item is missing the carpet, but it is in reasonable nick. There is a slight pressure bend on the plastic but no scuffs to remark about. I paid a whole £5 for this, with others going for £8 or more. So it’s one for my collection. I just need to find the little toilet rolls to go with it!
