Old Bill soft toy (Farnell)
From The Brighton Toy and Model Index
| Exhibit |
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Old Bill soft toy (Farnell) |
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| location: |
| Arch Four , Area 34 Cuddly Toys (display) |
A large cloth stuffed toy version of the popular World War One comic character created by Bruce Bairnsfather (1887-1959), made by Farnell around 1916 to 1920.
Bairnsfather's First World War cartoons were published in the Bystander Magazine and issued in collections titled "Fragments from France". Old Bill's most famous phrase which featured often in the cartoons was "If you know a better hole - go to it".
The "Old Bill" character and cartoons were so popular they are widely credited with keeping up the morale of the troops during the WW1 to the extent that Bairnsfather has been described as "The guy that won the First World War."
