Museum appeals for 70s toys to add to period house display

The distinctive orange bouncers and bicycles were just some of the forms of entertainment on offer for youngsters during the 1970s.

Now supporters of a West Yorkshire museum are on the hunt for such toys and games from the era to feature in a new permanent display.

Members of Friends of Bradford Museums want to hear from anyone who still has any of their old toys or games from the 1970s and would like to donate them to Bradford Industrial Museum.

The group has been refurbishing the Bradford Council-run site’s back-to-back houses on Gaythorne Row since 2007.

In the latest phase of work it will transform the former 1950s property into a 1970s period house.

As part of the project, the group would like people to send in their memories of the toys and games they played with during the 1970s.

The members are especially interested in hearing about any games or rhymes that were unique to the Bradford district.

The work has already seen the recreation of period wallpaper and artefacts that have not been seen by visitors for many years have been brought out of storage.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council’s executive member responsible for culture, said: “Bradford heritage recording unit’s oral history archive has been invaluable in providing oral history accounts of the games played in the past.

“As we move up to date, however, we want to draw on people’s childhood memories to make sure this popular visitor attraction is as authentic as possible.”

Gaythorne Row at the museum in Eccleshill is comprised of back-to-back houses dedicated to different periods from 1875.

These have been refurbished to show the social history of the Bradford district through the living conditions of local people.

Anyone interested in contributing to the project is asked to contact Debbie Cross by email at [email protected]