MP son leads tributes to Polly Pocket toy company founder

Sir Torquil Norman, whose toy company was responsible for the Polly Pocket brand and Big Yellow Teapot, has died aged 91.

Conservative MP Jesse Norman said his father helped bring “unbelievable joy to millions of young people” around the world, as he led tributes in the House of Commons.

Mr Norman added he hopes his father’s values of positivity, creativity and respect for others could inspire Parliament and the country at this time of “difficulty and stagnation”.

Speaking at business questions, shadow Commons leader Mr 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 brought 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.”

Mr Norman highlighted his father’s values and noted he always said the secret to success in the toy business was to have “a mental age of seven and an eye for detail”.

“And even in his 80s he was building and creating a new enterprise to develop flatpack trucks, if you can imagine such a thing, that could be developed and sold around the world at low cost and in countries supporting businesses and people.

“I think the whole House would perhaps agree with me that we need these values today, a time of difficulty and stagnation and international conflict, we need these values of creativity, of ambition, of drive, of respect for others and, above all, a capability – not just a focus on the head but on the hand and the heart as well.

“It’s something I feel very strongly about, we’re trying to build this new university in Hereford, a specialist technical engineering college, precisely to bring those kinds of different aspects of the human personality together in the service of better jobs and better possibilities.

“I also think it raises a question of us as a House and as Parliament, which is to encourage us all to ask the right questions and to support long-term solutions, even when those questions and those solutions may not be ones that we’re ideologically or politically drawn to.”

Mr Norman pushed for more co-operation between different political parties on the long-term issues, adding: “One of my father’s maxims, you’ll discover he has many, was that the secret to success is taking a large bite and then chew it.

“I think we could do that more perhaps as a House and perhaps as a country.”

Deputy Speaker Nusrat Ghani sent her condolences and “love and prayers” to Mr Norman and his family.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell thanked Mr Norman for his tribute to his father, saying of Sir Torquil: “I didn’t know him but in the short time (Mr Norman) has spoken about him today, he sounds like a wonderful father to have.

“Someone who invented children’s toys but also sounds like somebody of great wisdom who gave him great advice and I’m sure we can all in this House live by those values of positivity, creativity and resilience that he so fondly shared with us.”

The Roundhouse said in a statement: “It is with immense sadness that we say farewell to our brilliant and formidable founder, president, former chair and great friend, Sir Torquil Norman CBE who died peacefully at home on Wednesday March 19 2025.

“He was a true visionary, who brought so much joy to this world and never stopped believing in young people and never stopped believing in the Roundhouse.

“Without Torquil, the Roundhouse simply would not exist as it does today. He was an extraordinary business man, a huge advocate for creativity, the arts and young people, and simply a wonderful human being.”