Hobbs, Haywards And Quarterjack Toys

A Memory of Wimborne Minster.

My parents bought the shop and house in the foreground in 1980. You could just see a 'Hobbs' sign painted on the front of the building and Mr L E Hayward had a toy and pram shop there which he had run since just after the war, I think. You can still see his shop in the model town in Wimborne. When my parents took over the toyshop they called it Quarterjack Toys and the sign my dad painted is still outside the building.

Under the floorboards in the shop you used to be able to see the foundations of the building that had stood on the site before this building, which was built in 1720 - so probably a medieval cottage. The well-worn front step of the cottage and the base of a fireplace were visible and was still sooty! It's all still under there somewhere!

I loved growing up above the shop in Wimborne. I have a photograph of me somewhere at about the age of these boys stood in about the same place but 80 years later!