In 1901 Frank Hornby (1863-1936), of Liverpool, England, together with his business partner David Elliott. produced a model construction kit for children consisting of a collection of reusable perforated strips, plates, and angle girders that could be fastened with brass nuts and bolts. Called Mechanics Made Easy, the name was changed to Meccano® when Hornby took over the whole business in 1908.
The toy appeared in a range of different sets, each enabling larger and more complicated models to be produced, culminating in the ultimate—set number 10.The accompanying instructions showed how items including a double-decker bus, a beam bridge, a cargo ship, a locomotive, and the Eiffel Tower could be constructed. Wheels, gears, axles, and motors (both steam and clockwork) were also provided.
The great joy of Meccano® was its versatility and the fact that it could be reused again—breaking up the model just made and rebuilding an entirely different one. Meccano® was exported all over the world, and similar toys, such as the Erector Set, sprang up across the globe. Hornby encouraged cooperation between enthusiasts by introducing the Meccano Magazine in 1916 and the Meccano Guild in 1919. The magazine was published monthly until 1981 and the Guild oversawthe many clubs of Meccano® lovers that sprang up. Hornby also expanded his manufacturing empire by producing model railway trains and die-cast Dinky Toys.
Hard times came in the 1960s, however, when the company was taken over by Lines Brothers. Today it is only manufactured in Calais, France.
