Florence Attwood

• Name — Florence May Attwood • Born — 24 July 1907 • Birthplace — Shropshire, England • Died — 7 April 1952 • Place of death — Shropshire, England • Education — Royal Residential Schools for the Deaf, Manchester • Occupation — Designer, toy maker • Employer — Merrythought

Florence May Attwood was born on 24 July 1907, the daughter of Walter Attwood and Sarah Ann (née Willetts). At the age of two, she contracted measles, which caused her to become deaf. She attended a school for the deaf in Manchester, where she studied design. Attwood was particularly skilled at design and dressmaking, moving into fabric design and pattern making. She worked first for the Chad Valley Toy Company, before being recruited to work for Merrythought, in Ironbridge, Shropshire. There, she was appointed chief designer. The company's first catalogue came out in 1931, showcasing Attwood's designs. Merrythought's website described Attwood's collection as "an imaginative range of 32 soft toys which included animals, play toys and dolls, alongside the original teddy bear." A second catalogue was released the following year. Attwood's designs became well known worldwide, and increasingly collectable. Attwood was the designer of the iconic Merrythought bear, as well as "Punkinhead", which was produced by Merrythought exclusively for Eaton's department store in Canada. Attwood was responsible for most of Merrythought's designs up to 1949. Alongside her career at Merrythought, Attwood maintained close ties with the deaf community, regularly attending Shrewsbury Deaf Club. In 1952, at 44, Attwood died from cancer.