Please note, this site contains views and opinions that are my own, I am not sponsored by anyone or any company, I have no connections with any companies that I mention. The site does not make any money. I created the site purely for historical interest.
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The Hobbies company today is still in business although it is not directly connected to the original Hobbies company of Dereham which ceased to trade in 1968. However there was one person who was involved in the old company who started the present Hobbies company albeit with a different name to start with. His name was Ivan Stroulger who was once a manager at the old company.
Ivan Stroulger was largely responsible for reviving the famous Hobbies name and resurrecting the present Hobbies company.
Before I discuss the resurrection of the Hobbies company it is only fitting to remember the man who brought the well respected Hobbies name back to life. That man was one Ivan Stroulger.
Ivan was born in 1916 during WWI, as a young lad he had a fretwork set for Christmas and engaged in the fretwork hobby buying his supplies from Hobbies in Dereham.
Ivan’s first job was as a dispenser in a local chemist, he was always good at artwork and lettering and thought he might get a job as a draughtsman in the Hobbies drawing office. No job was available but they were impressed by Ivan and instead offered him a job in one of their retail branches.
So in July 1936 at the age of 20 Ivan started work for Hobbies Ltd.
Ivan had the honour of meeting John Henry Skinner the founder of Hobbies Ltd (1880’s), Ivan had been working in the Birmingham branch of Hobbies in 1948 when a well dressed man entered the store and announced he was John Henry. How wonderful it must have been to have met the man who started the company all those years ago.
In 1953 Ivan was given the job of Buyer and supply manager at Hobbies works in Dereham - a job he remained in until Hobbies Ltd ceased trading in 1968.
Ivan was a family man, a magistrate and a committed Christian, he retired in 1990 and passed away in February 2009 at the age of 92.
Hobbies Back in business.
When the original Hobbies company ceased to trade in 1968 Ivan was made redundant and at age 51 had to find something else to do; using his redundancy money he started his own business selling dolls house kits. he made these kits at home in his shed. He called the business Dereham Handicrafts. Ivan later changed the name to Hobbies & Handicrafts (Dereham) Ltd.
Ivan worked from home designing and making the dolls house kits by himself. Additionally, Ivan started another company named Hobbytrends with Norman Lambert, another ex-employee of Hobbies Ltd who had worked in Hobbies drawing office. However, unlike Dereham Handicrafts, Hobbytrends was not successful and was closed down after a short while.
In 1977 Ivan contacted the company who owned the original and famous Hobbies trade mark they had no need for its use and allowed Ivan the rights to it so in 1979 the company name was changed to Hobbies (Dereham) Ltd. And so once again the famous Hobbies name was back in business.
As you will probably have read on the home page I have always had a keen interest in the Hobbies company and fretwork - as did my father and my grandfather too. In 1989 I sent Ivan the picture (left) of my father doing fretwork on his dad's Hobbies imperial machine. Ivan wrote this friendly note back telling me that he used to sell the Hobbies imperial machine when he worked in the Hobbies store in Manchester.
I never met Ivan but I think he was a really nice man. He also saved the famous Hobbies name from oblivion, thank you Ivan.
As you can see from the handbook covers above the Famous Hobbies logo was now being proudly displayed on the front cover. Like the handbooks from the old Hobbies company each issue would have a few plans of things to make plus hints and tips on crafts such as Dolls house lighting etc. This was no doubt due to the influence of Ivan Stroulger who as you will have learnt earlier had worked for the old company from 1936 until its closure in 1968. I believe that Ivan was very proud of the Hobbies company and his involvement with them.
Toy fort from the 2002 handbook.
Left. Robert & John Stroulger 1995. Centre. some old fretwork designs were still offered. Right. Hobbies staff 2000.
As Hobbies expanded and became busier Ivan was joined by his sons - Robert and John. Later in 1990 Ivan retired leaving his two sons in charge of the company. The first Handbook Ivan issued was just over 20 pages but by the mid 2000's it had increased to well over 100 pages.
Over the years, the fretwork designs part of the catalogue diminished - understandably due to Fretwork falling out of fashion although Hobbies have always offered fretsaw blades and hand-frames plus of course Scroll-saws (the modern name for Fretsaws)
As mentioned above Ivan Stroulger sadly passed away in 2009 at the grand age of 92 years. The last link with the old Hobbies company gone.
New broom sweeps clean! In 2005 the Hobbies company was sold to new owners. After remaining at Dereham (Hobbies original home) for two years they moved to a new premises at Raveningham where they remain today.
The annual handbook has expanded to over 200 pages and is full of everything the crafts-person could require. Obviously they have a modern website offering their entire range with quick delivery
Hobbies offer its customers membership of their aptly named Hobbies club
For the small sum of just £10.00 (UK 2024) you will receive premier service inc a Priority phone line plus exclusive club offers and priority delivery service.
In addition and more importantly you will receive a free handbook and membership pack .
If that wasn't enough you also receive a 5% discount on your orders!
Some images of the Hobbies shop at Raveningham. The shop is open Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm - Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm
The Hobbies company today is very different to the original company who were mainly concerned with the fretwork hobby and owned their own factory manufacturing the items they designed and sold the world over whereas today Hobbies are a retailer of many crafts products including such things as Tools, wood, metal craft kits, model railways, dolls houses, boats, model aircraft in fact almost everything any craft worker would need.
Today fretwork is not a part of Hobbies although they do retail the excellent Niqua brand of fretsaw-blades - which I have been using myself for over 30 years and I fully recommend them, plus they sell some scroll-saws and tools used in the hobby.
The Annual Hobbies handbook is lavishly printed and well worth buying to browse through. the 2024 version is the largest since pre WWII days.
A few snapshots of Hobbies website. You can visit Hobbies website here. (opens new page)
Please note I have no connection with the Hobbies company whatsoever. other than being a customer back to the 1960's. I have created the website because of my interest and admiration of the Hobbies name and company and of course Fretworking.
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