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A seaside store has been slammed as racist for selling gollies.
The souvenir shop flogs the controversial dolls in several sizes fo rup to £16.99.
Other items on sale include golli pens, posters, keyrings, mugs, teaots and toast racks.
Locals said they are “disgusted” at the Lynn Tait Gallery, in Leighton-on-sea, Essex and accused it of damaging the town’s reputation.
One pensioner, 69 said “We don’t want to be tarnished with such horrible imagery”.
An outraged local parent added “Who the h ell wants to have their breakfast from a racist toast holder in this day and age”.
Southend council said selling gollies is not illegal. The toys were popular until the 1970s but were increasingly seen as offensive.
The CPS said it would get involved only if sale of the gollies caused “harassment or alarm”. Shop owner Lynne Tait said ” Every now and again I get a complaint but the majority love the nostalgia.Difficult one. I am of an age where I wouldve loved one of these toys (sadly I never had one). I understand the full name of the toy is offensive but is the actual toy offensive? Cant you still get black dolls? Sure u can. So apart from the obvious second part of the name…what is actually so offensive about this toy?
Its only racist if you see it that way.
I loved my Golly. Wish i still had him, he got lost in a move years ago.
I didn’t see him as racist he was my best friend (i was only a child) he was going to marry my Monchhichi and i was going to marry Boy George :oops:
Ahh the innocent minds of children.
“The golliwog, golliwogg or golly was a black character in children’s books in the late 19th century usually depicted as a type of rag doll. It was reproduced, both by commercial and hobby toy-makers as a children’s toy called the “golliwog”, and had great popularity in Europe and Australia into the 1970s. The doll is characterised by black skin, eyes rimmed in white, clown lips and frizzy hair…
…While some see the golliwog as a cherished cultural artifact and childhood tradition, others argue that the golliwog is a destructive instance of racism against people of African descent, along with pickaninnies, minstrels, mammy figures, and other caricatures, and it has been described as “the least known of the major anti-Black caricatures in the United States”…
…After the publication of Upton’s first book, the term “golliwog” was used both as a reference to the children’s toy and as a generic slang term for black people. In the UK and the Commonwealth, “golliwog” perhaps became “wog,” a racial slur applied to dark-skinned people worldwide.[5]…
…In September 2008, Amanda Schofield from Stockport claimed she was arrested for keeping a “golly doll” in her window. Greater Manchester Police denied this and said she was arrested after a series of complaints of alleged racially-aggravated behaviour were made against her…”
Yes Mr Harp…most know that….but do you think it is offensive?….that questions would have more impact and reason for negativity if a black person answered….
The problem is the toy is associated with the negative word…there is no getting away from that
If I saw one now for sale I would actually buy one….I have never actively looked for one, I don’t suppose it is that difficult…Southend isn’t that far anyway :lol:agrees with Lucy, it depends on the ye of the beholder.
Most complaints I’ve heard come from whites??
I used to love the golly brooches from jamjars – to me they were a status symbol.
If I had thought of them as racist n any way, I’d have shunned them for reasons of personal safety – my dad was always ready to give us a clip on the ear if we said anything remotely racist
@kent f OBE wrote:
Yes Mr Harp…most know that….but do you think it is offensive?….that questions would have more impact and reason for negativity if a black person answered….
The problem is the toy is associated with the negative word…there is no getting away from that
If I saw one now for sale I would actually buy one….I have never actively looked for one, I don’t suppose it is that difficult…Southend isn’t that far anyway :lol:Was it originally intended to be offensive, probably not. Is it offensive now, in my opinion yes. I grew up in the late 60’s and 70’s with black friends who were abused every single day of their lives at school, based solely on the colour of their skin. With “fu. ck off back home wog” the common insult alongside various other racist bile.
I grew up with (Irish father)
No blacks
No irish
No dogsWouldn’t see a sign like that now, nor should we, why should it be different with “gollywogs” it is 2015 not 1966.
equal rights.
The first African American doll in the Barbie range is usually regarded as Christie, who made her debut in 1968. Black Barbie was launched in 1980 but still had Caucasian features.
Now black dolls are everywhere – no reason why childhood toys from OUR childhood be taken away, all it does is give power to the racists.If everyone seen them as dolls and nothing more there would not be a problem.
PS: Mr Harp id love one of them sign’s for my hallway:
No Blacks
No Dogs
No Irishand this one for my kitchen
but then again i have a twisted sense of humour when it comes to Paddywhackery.
@irish_lucy wrote:
equal rights.
The first African American doll in the Barbie range is usually regarded as Christie, who made her debut in 1968. Black Barbie was launched in 1980 but still had Caucasian features.
Now black dolls are everywhere – no reason why childhood toys from OUR childhood be taken away, all it does is give power to the racists.If everyone seen them as dolls and nothing more there would not be a problem.
PS: Mr Harp id love one of them sign’s for my hallway:
No Blacks
No Dogs
No Irishand this one for my kitchen
but then again i have a twisted sense of humour when it comes to Paddywhackery.
The signs are funny now, they wouldn’t be so funny though if the Jobcentre had them in their window. I was once accused of being a racist for telling an Irish joke about myself. Now that is funny.
While we live in a society where the London Met Police are described as “institutionally racist” and numerous others stats I won’t bore you with, then there is no place for a doll that takes the pi.ss out of the black community by caricaturing that black community.
didnt realise your were in your 60s mr harp
@milkman of human kindness wrote:
didnt realise your were in your 60s mr harp
I did realize you are stupid. If I grew up in the late 60’s and 70’s, as I state, then by my reckoning it makes me far younger.
This isn’t about me though is it, so do share your views on “gollywogs”?
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