Johillco page 1

John Hill & Co was started in 1898 by a former employee of W. Britain named Mr F. H Wood; the derivation of the company name seems to be a mystery. After the First World War their production of hollow-cast model figures increased dramatically, and by 1932 the company had over 400 staff. Johillco also manufactured Coronation and other souvenir items.

The firm's original factory was in Islington, North London, but the factory was bombed during World War II. In 1946 the company was taken over by Lancashire businessman Alec Standing and relocated to Burnley. Production restarted and the range expanded to include knights, spacemen and special sets for Macey's in New York.

Although in 1956 the company began making plastic figures in their existing moulds under the name of Hilco, it was too slow in making the transition to production in the new material and ceased trading in 1960.