Crescent Toys was a British toy manufacturing company in operation from 1922 to 1980. Overview Crescent Toys manufactured lead [hollow-cast] figures and animals, die cast metal vehicles, toy guns, hollow cast and later plastic figures and toy soldiers of various historical periods. The firm was founded by Henry Eagles and Arthur Schneider and was located at 67, DeBeauvoir Crescent, Kingston Road, London. Henry George Eagles was one of seven children born of William Eagles, a lifebelt maker, and his wife Emily. At some point in the 1930s, one of Henry's brothers, Arthur, joined the Company under the name of Mr. Harvey (to avoid suspicion of nepotism) and worked as a foreman in the lead casting shop. It was understood that during the early part of the Second World War, Arthur Schneider went to America because of the connotation with Germany that his surname gave. Henry's health deteriorated and Arthur (Harvey) carried more of the responsibility of running the factory aided by Doris Eagles, one of Henry's four children. Henry, known to most of us as 'Harry', died in 1942 and his brother, my father, known as Mr. Harvey, continued to manage the business, which by now was manufacturing munitions' parts. At the end of the war, Henry's two sons, Harry and Ernie, who had served in the armed forces, joined Crescent along with their younger brother Frank and they together with their sister Doris, the Company Secretary, held the controlling interest. History Mr. Harvey was given 1,000 shares in Crescent Toy for his caretaker role and purchased a house of some standing in Potter Street, Essex. Die Cast Machine Tools, a small company in Green Lanes, Palmers Green had supplied Crescent with Die Casting Machines and took on casting work subcontracted from them. They soon realised that there was more to be made from selling the finished product than just the parts. In consequence, they used what knowledge they had gained to become fierce competitors in every field that they could. Meanwhile, with an eye to the development grants then available for industry to move to Wales, Crescent decided to open a factory and my father spent over two years travelling to, and working in, Cwmcarn until the factory was opened in 1949. His co-directors, my cousins, loved Wales and all decided to shut the Tottenham factory and move there. Having spent two years in an area where he said