There will be a Memorial and Celebration of Sir Torquil Normal CBE on Tuesday 4 November 2025 at St Clement Danes, the Central Church of the RAF, Strand, London WC2R 1DH.
The memorial will take place at 2pm and the Celebration will follow the Memorial at 4pm at Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8EH (full details are below).
Toy trade icon, Sir Torquil Norman CBE, founder of Bluebird Toys, which first brought the Polly Pocket brand and other iconic lines such as The Big Yellow Teapot to the toy market, had sadly passed away in March of this year, aged 91.
Iga Downing and Jesse, Casey, Lulu, Caspar and Amy Norman would love to see you at St Clement Danes and the Roundhouse.
The family have said that they are hugely grateful to the Roundhouse and are also setting up a fund for young people at the Roundhouse, to enable them to take a next vital step int their creative and life journey and will send further details after the day if you would like to support this cause that Torquil did so much to fuel and inspire.
At the time of Sir Torquil’s passing, Conservative MP, Jesse Norman, led tributes to his father in Parliament, as he spoke at business questions in the House of Commons. Shadow Commons leader Jesse Norman told MPs: “Almost exactly 24 hours ago, my father Torquil Norman died at the age of 91. He was an extraordinary man who flew Seafires and Sea Furies during his national service in the Fleet Air Arm. He created Polly Pocket, a toy which bought unbelievable joy to millions of young people around the House and around the world. And he rebuilt the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm in London, not just as an incredible performing arts centre but as a creative centre for young people and for them to find their way from whatever backgrounds into jobs.
Full details
Memorial at 2pm
St Clement Danes, the Central Church of the RAF, Strand, London WC2R 1DH
Celebration following the Memorial at 4pm
Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8EH
Please RSVP by Monday 6 October by emailing torquil-memorial@roundhouse.org.uk to let the family know if you will be joining them and how many places you would like.
The nearest tube is Chalk Farm. There is no parking at the Roundhouse, except for disabled parking. Please let them know in your RSVP if you would like a disabled space.
