Recently Christine Hadley, who curates the Fairlynch toy collection, re-discovered the Fairlynch Pig and has made this short video of him (or her).

He was made in about 1930 by the French automaton company Roullet et Descamps in Paris. He is about 30cm long covered in pink chamois leather with glass eyes.  He walks, nods his head and grunts!

A long-awaited booklet about the history of Fairlynch is now available with the publication of The Making of a Museum, edited by Fairlynch Trustee Michael Downes.  Based on a 1987 study of the museum building itself, the new title has been brought out to mark Fairlynch’s 50th anniversary and chronicles the development of a much-loved Budleigh institution from its beginnings up to the present day.

At over 50 pages and lavishly illustrated with almost 100 images, The Making of a Museum is a tribute to the original founders of Fairlynch as well as a story of determination and vision. It was a story crowned by many achievements.  One of the most notable was persuading the Tate Gallery to allow on two occasions the showing in Budleigh of Millais’ original painting ‘The Boyhood of Raleigh’.

The booklet is available from the Museum shop, price £5.00. All profits go to Fairlynch. ​