Maker record
Britain
Britains is a British toy maker whose products include toy soldiers, farm figures and animals, tractors, farm machinery and vehicles. William Britain began making toy soldiers in 1893 using a patented hollow-casting process for lead, which produced lighter figures while using less material. The company introduced its Model Home Farm in 1921 and its first tractor model, a Fordson Major, in 1948. From the 1950s its ranges expanded to include plastic figures and zinc-alloy die-cast models. Britains later combined die-cast metal and plastic in products such as its 1970 JCB excavator.
- Founded
- 1893
- Countries
- United Kingdom
- Locations
- Nottingham, United Kingdom · 1992
- Founders
- William Britain Jr.
The story of Britain
William Britain began making toy soldiers in 1893 using a hollow-casting process for lead that he had developed and patented. The process made lighter figures while reducing the lead required. Britains Ltd was incorporated in 1907, and the company set a standard height of 54 mm for its soldiers, a scale later used for farm models.
Military toy sales fell during the First World War. In 1921 Britains launched its Model Home Farm, comprising 30 figures and animals and a 4F Tumbrel Cart. The Nestlé World Cow followed as a promotional toy in 1924. The first Britains tractor, a Fordson Major, appeared in 1948. Britains acquired a controlling interest in Herald Industries in 1955, adding plastic figures and animals to its ranges; in 1959 it introduced its first zinc-alloy die-cast tractor, the Fordson New Major. In 1968 the company moved to Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow, and in 1970 introduced a JCB excavator combining die-cast metal and plastic.
The Britain family sold the company in 1984 to Dobson Park Industries, which renamed it Britains Petite Ltd in 1986. Work moved from Walthamstow to Nottingham in January 1992. ERTL bought Britains in 1997, when production transferred to China. Later ownership changes included Racing Champions International in 1999, Learning Curve UK in 2010 and TOMY in 2011. The 1:16 Big Farm range began in 2008, and Britains continued to offer agricultural models through these changes.