Frank Hornby
Toy inventor and businessman
Liverpool clerk who invented the Meccano construction set and founded one of Britain’s largest toy companies.
Frank Hornby was working as a bookkeeper when he made metal construction parts for his sons. In 1901 he patented the system, first called Mechanics Made Easy and from 1907 Meccano.
His company later made model trains under the Hornby name and toy cars as Dinky Toys. Hornby also became a Member of Parliament.