Our History

Each October, just as the leaves are starting to turn a festive red and there’s an exciting nip in the air, you’ll hear the excited screams of children, of all ages, softly echoing back to us from a time long past. From near and far they come, to take part in the annual spectacle known as ‘The Faire At The Forks”. For a magical three days, this 19th century fair materializes out of the mists of time and settles in on the banks of the Thames River, in present day Chatham, Ontario, Canada. It’s populated with sutlers, merchants, actors, puppeteers, musicians, soldiers, rogues, vagabonds, farmers, slack rope walkers, sword swallowers, dancers and a host of other visitors from all stations in life.

However, ask any young lad or lass (and even those NOT so young!) that you might stumble upon at the fair, and they will tell you that, in a tent nestled in an almost magical spot near McGregor’s Grove, you’ll find the most wondrous spot of all....Faire Tyme Toys! There you’ll find The Forks’ Master Toy Builder -one John Skakel. With a delightful twinkle in his eye, and always a new trick or two up his sleeve, he’ll take great pleasure in showing you his latest toy creation. Whether it be his Moon Winder, Whimmy Diddle, Flipperdinger, Wonder Turner, Thunder Spell, his graceful Graces or his latest wondrous invention, it will be sure to amaze, astound and delight.

So great were the tales of this Master Toy Maker, that it soon became apparent that the intense fascination that fair-goers had with these traditional folk toys was much too great to be confined to only three days at The Faire At The Forks. Children, aged eight to eighty, demanded that these toys be made available for more people in more places and not be trapped by time.... in time. As a result of this, Faire Tyme Toys has been gleefully plucked from the early 1800s and given a permanent place in today’s world.

Not content with only bringing you the delightful toys found at The Faire At The Forks, Faire Tyme Toys also plans on introducing you to some of the fascinating and delightful characters that inhabited The Forks of the early 19th century and who grew up being as amused and amazed with Toy Maker Skakel’s creations as we know that you will be! John and Martha McGregor, the McCraes, Mrs. Eberts, Miss Schwenger, Miss Reaume, the Johnston Clan, the Fields, Duncan and Cynthia as well as a host of other characters that populated The Forks in the early 1800s, will amaze you with their unique personalities and interesting stories as much as Master Skakel’s marvellous toy creations! Watch for their stories as they appear in the toys that you purchase from Faire Tyme Toys.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Faire Tyme Toys!

Look for the distincitive Faire Tyme Toys packaging.