His clothes are amazing and he sounds a catch! I'm not so sure about his haircut, though (version 2). I found a scary pic of him on the Sindy museum site looking slightly less attractive in string vest and pants, like the kind my dad used to wear.
I had a Sindy. I loved her. I also had two Pippa dolls, who were tiny and had long blonde hair. I also LOVED horses and yearned after a Sindy horse (fat chance). My brother scribbled on her face I remember. Trauma. The story of your doll in a puddle is just what happened to Laura Ingalls, cf Little House in the Big Woods (I am Little House nerd). Keep writing, I love these posts.
Thanks, Rosie. Maybe our brothers were jealous? I didn’t know Laura Ingalls rag doll suffered the same fate as mine in the Little House stories!
Before Sindy I had a Toots ballerina doll, as I was ballet mad (but we couldn’t afford lessons). I wanted her so much that my grandma Varley gifted her to me for my 5 and a half not-a-birthday, so I wouldn’t have to wait a whole other six months. That was so kind of her.
Gosh, that takes me back! I had a Sindy but, rather shockingly, she was having an affair with a Ken who was rejected by his previous family. One of my parents' most beloved anecdotes is about staying up all night one Christmas Eve to secretly assemble a doll's house where Sindy and Ken could reside, and then spending most of Christmas Day asleep. :D
I'm from about 10 mins up the road from Motherwell and have never got around to reading that book - will put it on the list after this recommendation!
I was 2000s Polly Pocket era; my mum had a Sindy from the '70s still kicking about and I thought she was horrific 😅 she was a bit worse for wear tbf. never knew about Paul though!
My friend and I used to get together and play with our Sindy dolls. By the early 80s Paul wasn't around, but we did deploy my brother's Eagle Eye Action Man as a boyfriend. My friend had Sindy 's velvet opera cloak, which I coveted both for my doll and, of course, for myself...
Wow, poor Paul. I was a big fan of Sindy as a little girl in the early/mid 80s but I have to say I was blissfully unaware either of him, or his fabulous Motorway Man outfit. Thank goodness for this piece bringing him back into the limelight 😁 Always love your writing Wendy!
I love that Paul wasn't glam or charismatic enough to take off in the way Ken did - despite the best efforts of the Hardy Amies wardrobe! That's incredible.
I love how their professions give a glimpse into the times. Fascinating as ever Wendy, thank you!
Thanks Faith. Yes, I think Ken had the glamorous edge, so put Paul out of business! (Then Action Man came along, of course…) Mary Quant designed outfits for Sindy; not sure whether she made any for Paul. What a fun job for designers.
Grrr, the algorithm isn’t showing me your posts anymore. All I get it us doom. Which is fine but not fine. I had a Barbie but it wasn’t really my thing. I don’t remember playing with dolls much; I played horses all the time, or drew and when I could write I wrote stories (about ponies) and letters to my nana !
Thanks for sharing your memories, Francesca. I played horses, too! Always borrowing the broom at home to be my trusty steed, and galloped around the infant school playground with a boy called Stuart, who was briefly my best friend. Whatever happened to him?!
Interesting what you say about the algorithm – I prefer a lively feed, too, not exclusive doom & gloom. You subscribe, so my posts will be in your Inbox. But I think I may have sabotaged myself on Notes by making my Likes invisible. I thought maybe I was too “noisy”! Might have to rethink that!
I have far too many subscriptions and really need to take some time and cull. I hate doing it, but I simple can’t keep on collecting things to read. Then notes comes in with a tsunami of click bait, and the next thing I know I have 24 thousand unread emails!
How healthy our pastimes were back then! Yikes, that sounded like old fogey speak… Did you play elastic??
My first love was called Stuart! He lives in Florida now. We’re still in contact on occasion.
Was that where you and a friend wrap elastic round your legs and jump over it (like a legs version of cat’s cradle?). If that’s what you mean, yes! I can’t quite remember how it worked, but I definitely played it. And lots of skipping! Very healthy pastimes.
You can adjust your personal settings/notification so you don’t get emails for everything, Francesca. And you can put your “View” preference on the app to Inbox rather than Notes. That helps! But of course I like to look at Notes to see what else is going on!
Brilliant! I actually burst out laughing at the Motorway Man bit! Driving costs were actually a thing too. He looks like the Saint in that polo neck. And yeah I remember my dad (and architect) pulling us out of primary school to go and see the opening of the M25!!!
Thanks, Siobahn. Paul does look a bit like The Saint in that outfit, you're right! (I used to love that series.) Yay for dads who get their priorities right! I was living in London when the M25 opened and it did transform travel. Just looking up which year it was: 1986.
Ah, maybe it wasn't the opening of the bit near us, as my dad wasn't driving in 1986, or at home sadly (it was the year after our car accident and he had a head injury... so sad.)
Yes that could be it! We’re nr Jn 21-22. My dad’s office (British research station) was right next to the M25. And this was the part opened in 1986. I’m puzzled as that simply couldn’t have been it. Off to ask my mother if she can remember! PS I never had a Cindy or a Barbie doll. Wasn’t allowed one. But I was allowed old fashioned dolls. My parents obviously thought they were too expensive and commercialised!
I had a sort of generic teenage doll for whom I knitted sweater dresses. I desperately wanted a real Barbie and when I passed my 11+ in 1961 I hoped that’s what my reward would be. But my mother declared me too old for dolls and presented me with a dressing table set. Remember them? Hairbrush and hand mirror. The disappointment still lingers!
That's heartbreaking, Alison! I do remember the dressing table sets of hairbrush and handmirror. Barbie would have been much more fun. Gah. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Hilariously (and probably revealingly as well) I never liked playing with dolls at all and much preferred Trolls or "gonks," as they were known in the UK. I had quite a few - gold plastic eyes and various hi-liter coloured hair. I loved them dearly, styling outfits for them myself. I even had a Troll Village (fav toy of my LIFE) but the accompanying trolls that were included were too Neanderthal for my liking and had steel wool hair ... Thanks for this entertaining and quirky post!!
Thanks, Sue. I remember how popular gonks were, though I never saw the appeal myself! Too garish! My children collected a few, though. They kept coming back!
Thanks Margaret. Yes, Paul was so briefly on the market (65-67) I’m not surprised he’s been largely forgotten. Action Man was a lot more popular. And Ken stayed the distance, of course!
I had Tiny Tears and Baby alive , I didn’t like Barbie or Sindy. I liked making the pretend paste food , feeding the dolls and then they would poop , cry and wee 🤣 gosh I’m amazed with all the stuff your mum kept and what great stories they make for us to read.
I still have my Sindy doll’s house! (Including the ironing board). All these years of playing with Sindy and I never knew about Paul. But then I MARRIED one. Thanks, Wendy, for another cracker!
Yes we dug it out of storage for our daughter, along with a tin of Sindy clothes I remember collecting from jumble sales. I hope my Paul lasts longer than Sindy’s. Hahaha!
Is it wrong I quite fancy Paul?? The man knows a piece of sharp tailoring when he sees it.
His clothes are amazing and he sounds a catch! I'm not so sure about his haircut, though (version 2). I found a scary pic of him on the Sindy museum site looking slightly less attractive in string vest and pants, like the kind my dad used to wear.
https://www.oursindymuseum.com/paul-mamselle-outfits/
Thanks for commenting, Lauren!
I know this is not the point of the piece, but 3yo you was so cute ☺️
Aw! I was, wasn't I?! I love that photo, actually.
Absolutely. A doll yourself!
Aw, thank you!
Agreed! 😀
I had a Sindy. I loved her. I also had two Pippa dolls, who were tiny and had long blonde hair. I also LOVED horses and yearned after a Sindy horse (fat chance). My brother scribbled on her face I remember. Trauma. The story of your doll in a puddle is just what happened to Laura Ingalls, cf Little House in the Big Woods (I am Little House nerd). Keep writing, I love these posts.
Thanks, Rosie. Maybe our brothers were jealous? I didn’t know Laura Ingalls rag doll suffered the same fate as mine in the Little House stories!
Before Sindy I had a Toots ballerina doll, as I was ballet mad (but we couldn’t afford lessons). I wanted her so much that my grandma Varley gifted her to me for my 5 and a half not-a-birthday, so I wouldn’t have to wait a whole other six months. That was so kind of her.
I had forgotten completely about Pippa!
Gosh, that takes me back! I had a Sindy but, rather shockingly, she was having an affair with a Ken who was rejected by his previous family. One of my parents' most beloved anecdotes is about staying up all night one Christmas Eve to secretly assemble a doll's house where Sindy and Ken could reside, and then spending most of Christmas Day asleep. :D
Oh wow, Sarah, that was very thoughtful of your parents. I’m sure plenty of Sindys paired up with Kens, given how briefly Paul was on the scene!
Oh my, I had no idea what messages were being promoted with these dolls, the "spring clean" section is hilariously shocking.
Yes, the brochure copy is so revealing!
I'm from about 10 mins up the road from Motherwell and have never got around to reading that book - will put it on the list after this recommendation!
I was 2000s Polly Pocket era; my mum had a Sindy from the '70s still kicking about and I thought she was horrific 😅 she was a bit worse for wear tbf. never knew about Paul though!
Oh, interesting! Let me know what you think about Motherwell (the book), if you do read it, Ruby.
My daughters all had Polly Pockets. Just looked them up and they were launched in 1989. They generally preferred those, plus cuddly toys, to dolls.
Sindy can look a bit of a fright once her hair goes bird nesty, quite agree!
My friend and I used to get together and play with our Sindy dolls. By the early 80s Paul wasn't around, but we did deploy my brother's Eagle Eye Action Man as a boyfriend. My friend had Sindy 's velvet opera cloak, which I coveted both for my doll and, of course, for myself...
I can imagine why you coveted the opera cloak, Fiona! Thanks for sharing your Sindy (and Action Man) memories.
Wow, poor Paul. I was a big fan of Sindy as a little girl in the early/mid 80s but I have to say I was blissfully unaware either of him, or his fabulous Motorway Man outfit. Thank goodness for this piece bringing him back into the limelight 😁 Always love your writing Wendy!
Thanks, Vicki! He got the boot so quickly, no wonder he’s been forgotten. Eclipsed by Barbie’s Ken. Yes, poor Paul. I rather like him!
I love that Paul wasn't glam or charismatic enough to take off in the way Ken did - despite the best efforts of the Hardy Amies wardrobe! That's incredible.
I love how their professions give a glimpse into the times. Fascinating as ever Wendy, thank you!
Thanks Faith. Yes, I think Ken had the glamorous edge, so put Paul out of business! (Then Action Man came along, of course…) Mary Quant designed outfits for Sindy; not sure whether she made any for Paul. What a fun job for designers.
Such a fun job! Poor Paul, he didn’t stand a chance against Action Men plus Ken!!
Grrr, the algorithm isn’t showing me your posts anymore. All I get it us doom. Which is fine but not fine. I had a Barbie but it wasn’t really my thing. I don’t remember playing with dolls much; I played horses all the time, or drew and when I could write I wrote stories (about ponies) and letters to my nana !
Thanks for sharing your memories, Francesca. I played horses, too! Always borrowing the broom at home to be my trusty steed, and galloped around the infant school playground with a boy called Stuart, who was briefly my best friend. Whatever happened to him?!
Interesting what you say about the algorithm – I prefer a lively feed, too, not exclusive doom & gloom. You subscribe, so my posts will be in your Inbox. But I think I may have sabotaged myself on Notes by making my Likes invisible. I thought maybe I was too “noisy”! Might have to rethink that!
I have far too many subscriptions and really need to take some time and cull. I hate doing it, but I simple can’t keep on collecting things to read. Then notes comes in with a tsunami of click bait, and the next thing I know I have 24 thousand unread emails!
How healthy our pastimes were back then! Yikes, that sounded like old fogey speak… Did you play elastic??
My first love was called Stuart! He lives in Florida now. We’re still in contact on occasion.
Was that where you and a friend wrap elastic round your legs and jump over it (like a legs version of cat’s cradle?). If that’s what you mean, yes! I can’t quite remember how it worked, but I definitely played it. And lots of skipping! Very healthy pastimes.
You can adjust your personal settings/notification so you don’t get emails for everything, Francesca. And you can put your “View” preference on the app to Inbox rather than Notes. That helps! But of course I like to look at Notes to see what else is going on!
Brilliant! I actually burst out laughing at the Motorway Man bit! Driving costs were actually a thing too. He looks like the Saint in that polo neck. And yeah I remember my dad (and architect) pulling us out of primary school to go and see the opening of the M25!!!
Thanks, Siobahn. Paul does look a bit like The Saint in that outfit, you're right! (I used to love that series.) Yay for dads who get their priorities right! I was living in London when the M25 opened and it did transform travel. Just looking up which year it was: 1986.
Ah, maybe it wasn't the opening of the bit near us, as my dad wasn't driving in 1986, or at home sadly (it was the year after our car accident and he had a head injury... so sad.)
Ah yes, looks like ‘86 was the whole thing, Siobhan, but I expect it opened in phases as bits got completed. Which bit did you visit?
Yes that could be it! We’re nr Jn 21-22. My dad’s office (British research station) was right next to the M25. And this was the part opened in 1986. I’m puzzled as that simply couldn’t have been it. Off to ask my mother if she can remember! PS I never had a Cindy or a Barbie doll. Wasn’t allowed one. But I was allowed old fashioned dolls. My parents obviously thought they were too expensive and commercialised!
I had a sort of generic teenage doll for whom I knitted sweater dresses. I desperately wanted a real Barbie and when I passed my 11+ in 1961 I hoped that’s what my reward would be. But my mother declared me too old for dolls and presented me with a dressing table set. Remember them? Hairbrush and hand mirror. The disappointment still lingers!
That's heartbreaking, Alison! I do remember the dressing table sets of hairbrush and handmirror. Barbie would have been much more fun. Gah. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Hilariously (and probably revealingly as well) I never liked playing with dolls at all and much preferred Trolls or "gonks," as they were known in the UK. I had quite a few - gold plastic eyes and various hi-liter coloured hair. I loved them dearly, styling outfits for them myself. I even had a Troll Village (fav toy of my LIFE) but the accompanying trolls that were included were too Neanderthal for my liking and had steel wool hair ... Thanks for this entertaining and quirky post!!
Thanks, Sue. I remember how popular gonks were, though I never saw the appeal myself! Too garish! My children collected a few, though. They kept coming back!
I had Sunday too. I remember getting her for Christmas. I liked her much more than Barbie.
It’s a very cute picture of you Wendy.
I have no recollection of Paul. Sindy used to pal up with Action Man in our house.
Sindy 😊
Thanks Margaret. Yes, Paul was so briefly on the market (65-67) I’m not surprised he’s been largely forgotten. Action Man was a lot more popular. And Ken stayed the distance, of course!
I had Tiny Tears and Baby alive , I didn’t like Barbie or Sindy. I liked making the pretend paste food , feeding the dolls and then they would poop , cry and wee 🤣 gosh I’m amazed with all the stuff your mum kept and what great stories they make for us to read.
Ooh, just looked them up. Tiny Tears was launched in 1950. Baby Alive in 1973.
Oh wow ! I never knew that.
I had no idea Tiny Tears was that early!
I had a Tiny Tears, Francis. I think Baby Alive must have been a later invention, I haven’t heard of it before. Sounds very realistic!
I still have my Sindy doll’s house! (Including the ironing board). All these years of playing with Sindy and I never knew about Paul. But then I MARRIED one. Thanks, Wendy, for another cracker!
Oh wow, you still have the Sindy house, Leah? Amazing! Have your kids played with it? And you married a Paul. What are the chances :D
It’s not surprising you hadn’t heard of Sindy’s Paul, given how quickly he got the boot.
Yes we dug it out of storage for our daughter, along with a tin of Sindy clothes I remember collecting from jumble sales. I hope my Paul lasts longer than Sindy’s. Hahaha!
I think he’s already lasted a lot longer than Sindy’s Paul, Leah!