Tom Smiths Christmas Crackers

In 1847 Thomas Smith and Company Ltd producer ofcolour-glazed animals totalled fifteen officially named.
fancy wedding cake and confectionary ornamentsHowever it has been reported that other animals
was founded. However it was not until 1973 thathave been found inside these Tom Smith crackers
Thomas Smith and Company then operating underand it is thought that these were to the spare left
the name Tom Smith and Company Ltd joined forcesover models from previous promotions.
with George Wade to produce their legendary Tom• 1987 - Nursery Rhyme Crackers: These six
Smith Christmas Crackers.nursery rhyme Wade whimsy models was offered as
The partnership between these two great companiesa set of Tom Smith party crackers for one year
would prove to be so successful that it went on toonly. The limited number of Wade miniatures were
span a whole twenty-six years with more thantaken from the previous Canadian Red Rose Tea
nineteen sets of Tom Smith Crackers being producedpromotion and re-coloured in the now distinctive
in this time, before Tom Smith and Companies sellone-colour Tom Smith cracker glaze.
off to Naper Industries in August 1998 and its• 1987-1996 - During this time Tom Smith
eventual closure in 1999.used a lot of spare Wade whimsies from previous
The idea for these Christmas crackers came fromfinished promotions and series. The models were
Tom Smith himself during a visit to France. Here here-coloured in Tom Smiths one-colour glazes and he
saw small fancy sweets wrapped in tissue paper, soused them in numerous other cracker lines, two to a
Smith came back to England and sold sugaredbox, alongside plastic toys and other cracker inserts.
almonds with a love note in fancy wrapping. This idea• 1988 - Village of Broodlands: Ten miniature
was not that popular and Smith decided to replacehouse models based upon Whimsie-on-Why Wade
the sweet with a small gift. Also as his company hadseries, were planned for this series however only the
merged with a Christmas cracker producer the Tomfirst set of five models only made it into production
Smith Christmas Cracker idea was born.as these houses proved much more costly to
• 1973-1975 - Animate Crackers: This firstproduce than the previous animals and characters
issue of Tom Smith crackers contained eight Wadethat Tom Smith had used in his cracker sets.
whimsies that had previously been issued in the• 1988-1989 - Family Pets, Tom Smith Party
Canadian Red Rose Tea promotion. Although thesecrackers: This set of eight animal and bird crackers
Whimsies were not new to the market the Animatewas once again designed for Tom Smith.
Crackers were a huge success.• 1990-1991 - World of Dogs: Two
• 1976-1977 - Safari Park: This second issueexclusively designed dog models were added to six
of Tom Smith Crackers were once again previouslypreviously issued Wade miniature dog models to
used models. The set consisted of ten models - eightcreate the thirteenth set of Tom Smith cracker sets.
of which had been again used in previous promotions.• 1992-1993 - Birdlife Series: One new design
However there were two new Wade models in thisof a wren was added to make a set of eight models.
set - the Lion and Musk Ox.Some models in this series had been previously used
• 1978 - 1979 - Circus Animates Crackers:by Smith but were re-coloured to distinguish them
This was the first set of Tom Smith Crackers whichfrom the originals.
were made exclusively for Smith by Wade. Smith had• 1992-1994 - Snow Life Animals: This set
the right of exclusivity for two years for each of thewas very similar to the previous Birdlife series, with
whimsies that George Wade and later Wadeone new model the reindeer and re-coloured glazes.
Ceramics designed for him, before the rights were• 1994-1996 - Tales from the Nursery: Ten
once again passed back to the Wade Company.models but only eight crackers meant that some
This set of ten circus models differed from previousmodels were harder to obtain than others. This set
Whimsy models (with exception of the seal) as eachcontained eight of the highly successful Red Rose
animal stood on his own circus drum base. Most ofTea miniature nursery collection with the addition of
the models were in a one colour glaze.two new models for Tom Smith.
• 1980-1981 - British Wildlife: Eight British• 1996-1997 - Cat collection: As the previous
animals were the theme for this next set of Tomcracker series this set of Tom Smith crackers
Smith crackers.contained ten models with a box holding eight
• 1982-1983 - Farmyard Animals: Anothercrackers. Once more two new models were designed
set of eight animals were used in the Farmyard Tomand in the United Kingdom there has been reports of
Smith Crackers set. All these models were new fordifferent colourways being found.
Tom Smith with exception of the Goose which had• 1996-1997 - Bear Ambitions, Christmas
previously been used in the Red Rose Teatime crackers: These were originally a Wade giftware
promotions, so was given a different colour beak toline but Tom Smith used them in their six model
differentiate it from the earlier version.Christmas time cracker set.
• 1984-1985 - Survival Animals: This set• 1998-1999 - Hedgerow Party time
consisting of eight animals was the first Tom Smithcrackers - Sea Life Party time crackers. - The last
cracker set to be produced in a one colour glaze. Thistwo sets of Tom Smith crackers to be brought out
started the trend and all subsequent Tom Smithbefore the closure of the Tom Smith Company were
cracker whimsy models would be coloured in thisthe Hedgerow and Sea Life party time sets. They
way from this point onwards.each contained eight re-issued models in a six cracker
• 1986-1987 - Wildlife: These onebox.