Treasure trove from festival that cheered up 1950s Britain

Bob Mason, 65, who lives in Harrogate, has collected more than 500 pieces created since the festival was launched in 1951 to cheer up post-war Britain, including scarves, glassware, cutlery and even a brass fly embedded in amber.

Mr Mason has been an avid collector for the past 15 years, scouring antique fairs across the North for memorabilia bearing the Festival of Britain logo.

But his collection has now swelled to such a size he is being forced to put part of it up for sale to free up some space at home.

“I have been very fanatical about collecting pieces and I must have about 90 per cent of what was available”, he said.

“I would say I’m one of the top five collectors in the country.

“I will be sorry to see it go in a way but we need the space at home – I won’t be parting with all of it, though.”

Mr Mason’s collection will be up for sale at new shop Sissy Jupe, which opens in Oxford Street, Harrogate, on Saturday.

Owner Siobhan Hockton met Mr Mason after she realised the opening of her shop coincided with the 60-year anniversary of the Festival of Britain and decided to start collecting items from the event.