Girls’ Crystal (comic)

Girls’ Crystal was launched in October 1935 by Fleetway as a story paper and re-launched as a comic in March 1953.

While the DC Thomson girl’s comics featured famous schools like St Elmo’s School for Girls (Bunty) and Hollydale High (Judy), Girls’ Crystal readers had Shod Street Secondary Modern.

Its heroine, Cherry, wanted to go to St Hilda’s Grammar but was reminded of her duty by the games mistress: “An old-established school is all very well, but there’s not the challenge and excitement we’ve got here”. These words brought “a wonderful lift to Cherry’s spirits” and made her feel “a bond between her and the teacher”.

Girls’ Crystal was merged with School Friend in May 1963.

Turbo The quest for realism in driving games got a boost in Sega’s 1981 simulator, Turbo. Shifting the action into a…
Air Hockey Ice hockey enthusiast Bob Lemieux dreamed up this popular table game for billiards manufacturers Brunswick back in 1972. Almost instantly,…
Six Million Dollar Man Action Figure If there was ever a television series that demanded a toy line for its merchandise, it was The Six Million…
Game Boy Gaming companies had launched primitive and clumsy portable consoles in the past, but it was the arrival of the Nintendo…
Arcade Games Early 1950s fore-runners of arcade games included photo booths which became a national craze and shuffle games which moved beyond…
Action Figures What??? A boy playing with a doll??? Are you insane? These weren't dolls, they were 'Action Figures'. There's a big…
Evel Knievel toys Ideal Toys, the major manufacturer of Evel Knievel toys, got their start in the Knievel business in 1972 when they…
X-Ray Spex (Specs) X-Ray Spex came about in 1964 when Harold von Braunhut (the mastermind behind Sea Monkeys) repackaged an optical effect made…