Cowan de Groot, Codeg Productions

(London EC2 UK)

Cowan de Groot (Codeg Productions) was established in 1919 by S D Cowan and A de Groot as toy importers, wholesalers and distributors, importing toys from around the world. Acquired by the Wilton Group in 1991 and part of Dekker Toys in 1993. Cowan de Groot supplied many British shops and mail order businesses, including Winfield, the 'own brand' name of F W Woolworth. The wide range of products included the Tracing Slate, Telephone Exchange, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Cash Register, Skittles, Wooden Pull Toys, Sand Toys (Merry Builders), Solitaire with Marbles, Clocks, Monorail and Dr Who Dalek. Cowan de Groot was one of the first firms to produce toys licenced from the popular BBC television programme Dr Who, in 1965, including a clockwork Dalek, Dodge the Daleks board game and a Dalek money box.

The Monorail set illustrated below appears to be identical to that marketed by F W Woolworth in the UK, using the Woolworths Winfield own brand name, and was made in Hong Kong by Cosmo.