Golliwogs- affectionately known as 'gollies' are soft bodied black dolls with woollen hair. They are sometimes dressed in red jackets like an old soldier, but various other suits have been used over the years. They were a popular toy in Victorian times, no doubt due to looking just like the chimney sweeps gopher after the job had been done. It's possible Queen Victoria's grandchildren played with one when she was a little girl. Because they were soft bodied they could be easily washed so it didn't matter if baby slung it out of the pram.

The word golliwog originated in the series of 19th Century Golliwogg books by Bertha Upton and illustrated by her American-born daughter Florence (a well-known portrait painter). The first of the series was Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls in 1895. Upton based the books on her childhood dolls, which included a black minstrel doll. The books were hugely popular and naturally the golliwog dolls became popular too. All the Uptons' toys, manuscripts and original artwork for the 13 books were auctioned off in 1917 for the Red Cross, and with the proceeds they bought an ambulance.

Social History Of Golly

The Upton toys were presented by the buyer to the Prime minister and they resided at Chequers for 90 years until being moved to the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. For some children forced to leave their homes during wartime they might have only been able to take one home comfort to remind them of happier times. Who knows how many took a golly on a trip to a strange home in the countryside?

Golly on tv

The Golliwogg books were featured on BBC Jackanory a number of times in the 1960s and 1970s.

Golly it's Good

James Robertson and Sons, the UK preserve manufacturers founded in 1864. Robertsons used the Golly mascot from 1910 and produced enamel badges from the 1920's. Their slogan was 'Golly it's Good'. At one time jam and preserve makers Robertson used to print golliwogs on their labels which you could cut off and save towards lapel badges¹. The first badge was a Golly Golfer. Some badges showed gollies with musical instruments and in various sporting poses and they could be swopped with other kids at school if aunty or grandmama got you one you already had. 20 million golly badges had been given away by 1999. Golly was finally dropped by Robertsons in 2001. Recently sales have boomed, with collectors worldwide paying up to £600 for badges.

Campaign to remove Golliwogs

The campaign to remove Golliwogs possibly began when Helen Bannerman's children's book Little Black Sambo became the subject of a campaign by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples in the US from the early 1950s. They described the book as "The epitome of white racism in children's literature". The campaign was taken up by the British group 'Teachers against Racism' in the early 1970s.

The change in attitude was not changed by the action of pressure groups but arose gradually out of a general revulsion at the use of 'Golliwog' as a term of abuse used routinely to humiliate and intimidate black people.

Noddy minus Golly

Some of Enid Blyton's golliwogs in Noddy were depicted as having flawed characters, which probably didn't help the cause. The garage proprietor, Mr Golly, was replaced in the Noddy books by a teddy bear in the early 1980s. When Noddy and his friends returned to childrens' TV in 1992 the characters that used to be golliwogs had been given the PC makeover. Three golly muggers were replaced by gremlin characters. Another one was now a monkey, it had people scratching their heads and wondering if and when such a creature wouldn't also get the same treatment.

Golly good show

Conservative councillor Richard Eddy claimed the golliwog was a victim of political correctness and displayed one in his office, sparking complaints from representatives of black and ethnic groups. Councillor Eddy said he was just offering the golly 'sanctuary' in his office and did not mean to offend anyone. He bowed to political pressure and resigned as deputy leader in 2001. It's not known what happened to the golly.

Golly complaint stops Queen making a mint

Golliwogs as toys are now frowned upon. That didn't stop the Queen's shop from trying to flog them though- they were on sale at £9.99 each and even on display in her shop window at Sandringham. They were removed from the shelves in February 2009 after complaints. It's possible that was the last shop in the UK with any golliwog stock, but you can still buy them on ebay if you really want one. Just don't take it to work, or by golly, you will probably get some funny looks.

For and Against

Nick Martin, a part-time maintenance worker, lent 300 Golliwog items including badges and a teapot for an exhibition held at the Westbury Manor Museum in Fareham, Hants. Martin said he began collecting gollies as a child because they're always happy little chappies and make you smile, and once he caught the bug he couldn't stop.

Nowadays the golliwog character is regarded as 'out-dated, insensitive and racist'.

-Lord Taylor of Warwick, the Conservatives most senior black politician

Of course 'golliwog' is an offensive, racist word when directed at a black person. It is a nasty word, and belies a nasty attitude.

-Communities Secretary Hazel Blears

I don't think Carol Thatcher should have been fired for recalling a childhood memory in a private conversation.

-London Mayor Boris Johnson

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