“Well over a hundred years ago, my great-grandparents bought a baby doll for their little son, Robert Laver March, from a shop in Glastonbury. Robert passed the doll to his new granddaughter (me!) in 1949, when I was just two weeks old. The doll was called Baby John, and he used to sit on a chair in my bedroom. My granny made Baby John a green checked romper suit out of an old dress. I didn’t think that was good enough for my Baby John, so I persuaded her to give me one of the family christening gowns. You can see it in the photo. My granny didn’t value this gown: she let me have it because it had been made by Auntie Bet, who wasn’t a good seamstress! I still have the best family christening gown; even now I wouldn’t dare put it on a doll!
Baby John has shared everything in my life the good, the bad, the happy and the sad. The only time Baby John and I have been apart was when I was a student. When I was away at college my lovely old faithful dog used to steal Baby John each night and take him to bed with him!! My Mum was less than pleased.
As you can see, Baby John has a beautiful head. He came to the toy hospital because his head was badly cracked and damaged and some of his body was in dire need of patching up. I missed him so much when he was away; I didn’t realised how much I talk to him! I will never let him go away again.”