Summary
Red metal fire engine. Made by AM Bologna in Italy.
Used and owned by Bill Boyd in the 1950s.
The William Boyd Childhood Collection includes most of the childhood possessions of William (Bill) Boyd, who was born in 1947 and raised in the Victorian town of Maryborough. Kept by Lillian Boyd (Bill's mother) for decades, upon her death the Collection was donated by Bill to the former Museum of Childhood at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. When the Museum of Childhood closed it was transferred to Museum Victoria.
Physical Description
Red fire brigade car with moveable ladder.
Significance
Encompassing toys, books, clothing and other items, the William Boyd Childhood Collection is rare in its comprehensiveness: even ephemera such as the back of a Cornflakes box are included. The Collection demonstrates a range of prominent themes in the lives of postwar Victorian children, such as the ability to 'make do' under austere circumstances; the shift in toy manufacture towards plastic materials and mass production; the continuing cultural influence of Britain; the increasing embrace of American popular culture; the prominence of gender roles; and the popularity of transport and war themed toys for boys.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Museum of Childhood, Edith Cowan University, Warren Snell - Edith Cowan University, Western Australian Museum (WAM), 13 Feb 2008
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Past Owner
Museum of Childhood, Edith Cowan University, Churchlands, Western Australia, Australia, 1992-2008
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User
Mr William Boyd, Maryborough, Victoria, Australia, circa 1950s
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Inscriptions
On underside: A M / BOLOGNA / ITALY
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
42 mm (Width), 118 mm (Depth), 54 mm (Height)
Height measurement taken with ladder down, with ladder up, H: 138mm
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Keywords
Children's Play, Toys, Fire Engines, Making History - William Boyd Childhood
