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Budgie was formed by Morris & Stone Ltd in 1946, in London England. Their primary interest was to buy and sell other local companies products. Their early focus was on a variety of agricultural, truck, and automotive vehicles. Often these were horse-drawn carriages and coaches. Later they shortened their name to Morestone. (Need year that happened.) Castings with the Morestone name on the base can be found.
One of those local companies was called Modern Products. In 1949, Modern Products made a casting themselves that they included in a series of castings made up with other companies cars. Two of those companies were F W Birch + Co and R Smith Diecastings Ltd. The F W Birch + Co association did not last very long. But, the association with R Smith Diecasting Ltd lasted much longer. Rodney Smith the owner of R Smith Ltd was part of the founding partnership of Lesney (Matchbox) providing the 'ney' portion of Lesney.
In 1954, Morris & Stone had become part owners of R Smith Diecasting Ltd and now they had access to their own factory to produce their own castings under the name "Esso Petrol Pump" minitures. There were 20 vehicles in this series. The unique factor of this series is that they were packaged in a box printed to resemble an Esso gas pump. The focus of Morris & Stone after this series was to produce larger scale diecast.
Reissues of known Morestone labeled vehicles are known to be made in white metal by Zebra Toys. Autocraft/DGM also acquired many of the model dies for early Morestone series car models and motorcycles.
It was not until 1959, that they introduced a new line of smaller scale diecasts called Budgies. Although the Esso Pump series casting were discontinued some were include in the new Budgie lineup. Which, also included some castings made under the Morris& Stone line up and casting from the R Smith lineup.
Before and after the Budgie name was introduced, Morris & Stone also produced a line of Enid Blyton's 'Noddy' metal character figurines and vehicles such as wagons and bicycles.
Often Budges ae attributed to be copies of Matchbox castings and although they are very similar - Matchbox used decals on smooth surfaces, while the Budgie castings had raised lettering and were painted instead.
In 1961, S Guiterman & Co (also of London) bought out Morris & Stone breaking all previous management associations from above. But, Modern Products continued to provide some of the castings in Guiterman's lineup of Budgie Castings with Morris & Stone as a subsidiary company to Guiterman.
In 1962, the Morris & Stone subsidiary company was officially renamed Budgie Models Ltd.
In 1966, Guiterman went into receivership (bankrupty) along with their Budgie Models subsidiary. A short time later most of their toy molds were lost in a factory fire. Modern Plastics was able to obtain the Budge trademark and added it to their other subsidiary company R Smith Ltd. The H. Seener Ltd. company also was able to obtain other Guiterman holdings and produce slightly altered Budgie models under the "Seerol" name into the late 1990s in the London tourist market. Some of the know castings include the larger sized Taxi, Bus and Rolls Royce.
In 1969, Modern Plastics again stopped their smaller diecast miniatures line up in favor of larger diecast models and a few releases of the Road Roller casting.
In 1983, Modern Plastics was bought by Starcourt Ltd along with the Budgie name and trademark which they produced until 1985 and retired the Budgie name.
World Toy House distributed Budgie made castings as "Budgie Miniatures".
Over this time frame only 39 casting models were made by Morris & Stone/Budgie. They included English, American and German cars and trucks. Some were modified to be police, fire and taxi vehicles.
Many of the late Budgie toy castings also went into the New Zealand Fun Ho! Toys 'Midget Car' series along with many Matchbox toolings
In 1986, it is believed that some of the 39 molds were sold to David Gilbert of D G Models. More specifically, the VW Bug and Micro Bus castings.
Primary resources -
Encyclopedia of Small-Scale Diecast Motor Vehicle Manufacturers - Sahakangas, Foster & Weber (2006)
Budgie Toys | hobbyDB
Budgie Toys - Wikipedia
Morris & Stone, Morestone, Budgie toys
Steve Beckett's Vintage Budgie® Models Web Site
One of those local companies was called Modern Products. In 1949, Modern Products made a casting themselves that they included in a series of castings made up with other companies cars. Two of those companies were F W Birch + Co and R Smith Diecastings Ltd. The F W Birch + Co association did not last very long. But, the association with R Smith Diecasting Ltd lasted much longer. Rodney Smith the owner of R Smith Ltd was part of the founding partnership of Lesney (Matchbox) providing the 'ney' portion of Lesney.
In 1954, Morris & Stone had become part owners of R Smith Diecasting Ltd and now they had access to their own factory to produce their own castings under the name "Esso Petrol Pump" minitures. There were 20 vehicles in this series. The unique factor of this series is that they were packaged in a box printed to resemble an Esso gas pump. The focus of Morris & Stone after this series was to produce larger scale diecast.
Reissues of known Morestone labeled vehicles are known to be made in white metal by Zebra Toys. Autocraft/DGM also acquired many of the model dies for early Morestone series car models and motorcycles.
It was not until 1959, that they introduced a new line of smaller scale diecasts called Budgies. Although the Esso Pump series casting were discontinued some were include in the new Budgie lineup. Which, also included some castings made under the Morris& Stone line up and casting from the R Smith lineup.
Before and after the Budgie name was introduced, Morris & Stone also produced a line of Enid Blyton's 'Noddy' metal character figurines and vehicles such as wagons and bicycles.
Often Budges ae attributed to be copies of Matchbox castings and although they are very similar - Matchbox used decals on smooth surfaces, while the Budgie castings had raised lettering and were painted instead.
In 1961, S Guiterman & Co (also of London) bought out Morris & Stone breaking all previous management associations from above. But, Modern Products continued to provide some of the castings in Guiterman's lineup of Budgie Castings with Morris & Stone as a subsidiary company to Guiterman.
In 1962, the Morris & Stone subsidiary company was officially renamed Budgie Models Ltd.
In 1966, Guiterman went into receivership (bankrupty) along with their Budgie Models subsidiary. A short time later most of their toy molds were lost in a factory fire. Modern Plastics was able to obtain the Budge trademark and added it to their other subsidiary company R Smith Ltd. The H. Seener Ltd. company also was able to obtain other Guiterman holdings and produce slightly altered Budgie models under the "Seerol" name into the late 1990s in the London tourist market. Some of the know castings include the larger sized Taxi, Bus and Rolls Royce.
In 1969, Modern Plastics again stopped their smaller diecast miniatures line up in favor of larger diecast models and a few releases of the Road Roller casting.
In 1983, Modern Plastics was bought by Starcourt Ltd along with the Budgie name and trademark which they produced until 1985 and retired the Budgie name.
World Toy House distributed Budgie made castings as "Budgie Miniatures".
Over this time frame only 39 casting models were made by Morris & Stone/Budgie. They included English, American and German cars and trucks. Some were modified to be police, fire and taxi vehicles.
Many of the late Budgie toy castings also went into the New Zealand Fun Ho! Toys 'Midget Car' series along with many Matchbox toolings
In 1986, it is believed that some of the 39 molds were sold to David Gilbert of D G Models. More specifically, the VW Bug and Micro Bus castings.
Primary resources -
Encyclopedia of Small-Scale Diecast Motor Vehicle Manufacturers - Sahakangas, Foster & Weber (2006)
Budgie Toys | hobbyDB
Budgie Toys - Wikipedia
Morris & Stone, Morestone, Budgie toys
Steve Beckett's Vintage Budgie® Models Web Site
