Barrett & Sons
Alfred Barrett had been in business with his brother and brother in law Fred G Taylor, since 1920. They produced lead toys, mainly animals, trading as Taylor and Barrett [All pre-war models marked T&B]. As the business grew in 1923 they bought a factory in Scholfield Road, Upper Holloway, London. Then moving on to a larger building in East Finchley. During World War 2 production of toys had come to an end, and the partners shared the toy moulds between then for safe keeping. The partnership came to an end and each went their separate ways. Two new companies were formed F.G. Taylor and Sons [1945-1980 FGT & Sons – For Good Toys] and Barrett and Sons.
Since 1953 Barrett & Sons had been supplying cast metal doll’s house furniture to A Barton & Co. By the early 1960’s Barrett changed from producing leaded toys to plastic, often using the same moulds. In 1970 Barrett & Sons had to move out of the factory because of a compulsory purchase order, they rented part of the Barton’s factory, at New Addington, near Croydon. Barrett & Sons continued making doll’s house furniture and accessories for Barton’s, eventually Barton’s bought out Barrett & Sons in 1982.
I think there was more than one kitten, they are easily lost as they are so small.
Above is a cast lead cat, made by Barrett and Sons. The underside has a manufacturers mark on it, a capital B with the letters ‘&’ and ‘S’ inside the B, and the words London England around it.
This is the Barton Carolines Home, Ginger Cat It was sold in a carded blister pack with a Bear Rug [2038]
As mentioned above Barretts did produce items for Bartons in plastic using the same moulds as they did for the lead items.
The Barton Carolines Home Black Plastic Cat was sold in a carded blister pack which also included a cat basket, kittens and a dog with kennel [2049]. This cat does not have the Barrett mark underneath it.
The black cat and the ginger cat both appear in Barton Caroline’s Home Catalogue from 1976. Production of the Barrett and Sons Lead Cat probably finished in the 1960’s, with the move away from lead toys