Following on from the original wooden Georgie, Edwin Hall released a second giraffe ride in the mid-1960s. The "Running Giraffe" (my childhood name for it to distinguish it from other giraffe rides!) was painted in very realistic colours and was in a running - or maybe even leaping! - pose.
The giraffes were distributed by Edward Savill Amusements, along with the rest of Edwin Hall's kiddie ride range. After Edwin Hall sold off the company in 1975, Edward Savill began manufacturing the giraffes and continued to do so until at least the mid-1980s. While the giraffe mould was identical, those manufactured by Edward Savill were sold in a lighter, glossier colour and came on ornate bases featuring embossed cartoon-style rodents.
The 1966 Edwin Hall catalogue gives the giraffe's dimensions as 51" x 28" x 63" and weight at 230lbs.
Natureland, Skegness, June 2017. This is the original Edwin Hall version, although it has obviously been refurbished by BAFCO at some point through the years, hence their logo on the base!
An updated version of the giraffe was manufactured by Glass Fibre Products of Lowestoft in the 1980s. At first glance, it looks identical to the Edwin Hall version, but the mould of this giraffe has been altered with this version now having bent front legs.
The Play House, Brighton, February 2023
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