Sydenham & McOulstra
Founded in 1908 in Walsall, England, Sydenham & McOustra began with light castings and soon made their mark with toys and mechanical banks. Their most iconic creation, John Bull’s Money Box, remains a favorite among early 20th-century collectors.
Sydenham & McOustra: Crafting Character in Cast Iron Banks
Sydenham & McOustra was established in 1908 in Walsall, Staffordshire, England. Sydenham was a local surgeon and McOustra had been working for Chamberlain & Hill when he decided to leave their employ to establish their own firm.
Initially, the company specialized in light castings for electrical engineering companies and ultimately expanded to casting carpenter’s tools, toys and banks.
The John Bull’s Money Box is their most well-known bank. In addition, the company manufactured several Jolly banks that were popular in the early 1900s.