Artie the Golliwog
**Please ASK me if you wish to use MY Golly photo on your website! Thanks. 
As a child (like most baby-boomers), I had an adorable Golliwog whom I loved dearly.
Golly was a homemade job (of course) made by elderly Auntie Nell (my Nanna’s sister) with wild, uneven loopy wool hair and a huge wobbly stitched red grin that stretched the full width of his face. I’d run my fingers over his body, feeling the bumpy lumps of scraps of old fabric he was stuffed with. Such a good Golly, he wore all my dolly’s clothes without ever complaining.
It was a very sad day, when Golly was passed down to my much younger cousin Glen, who took a shine to him and wouldn’t give him back!
When I spotted Artie (that’s his official name written on his tag) sitting up on a shelf in a baby shop, I just had to have him! A “grandson-on-the-way” is becoming a very handy excuse!
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:53 am
I was just reading about golliwog dolls in a sociologist’s essay, “The Golliwog Caricature,” at the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia site.
For goodness’ sake, please don’t give this to a child!
January 5th, 2008 at 9:36 am
I never thought of Golly as anything but a beloved toy. It is not what the toy represents but rather what the child is taught in my opinion.
Young children wouldn’t even think of a Golliwog in racial terms unless the environment encourages it. It’s the people who think of all that stuff and make it an issue who are the problem! I personally think it sends a positive message to kids of all ages to love a black doll!
January 13th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Oh, for Goodness sake!!! So much political correctness gone mad exists in the world today. It’s what YOU teach to the child! I love your Golly and I think your child will be very lucky to have such a special Golly. And yes, I have very fond memories of my Golly.
IMHO
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I have just been doing a ‘google’ search for pictures of golliwogs as I am designing a poster for the local community theatre group at Beenleigh’s next production, Raggedy Anne, which has a golliwog in the cast. I came across your photo and would love to use it on our poster, so I would like to ask your permission to use it please.
Your knitting is wonderful. My Mum is an avid knitter. She helps knit for the Brisbane Needy project as she can’t sit down without knitting something and there are only so many items the family can use so she gives the rest away. She also knits for premmie babies and trauma bears for the emergency services. She really cranks that knitting out. I will show her your nanna blog – which is lovely time for you and your family by the way – congratulations.
I was also intrigued with your lovely sketches – what a clever lady you are and what a busy one you must be with sketches, knitting and nanna duties.
I would appreciate your permission to use the golliwog on the poster if we may?
Kind regards,
Janice
May 24th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Janice, I’ve emailed you
June 10th, 2008 at 1:28 am
I adore all “black” dolls. I am a doll maker and love making my black dolls. They are so much fun to make and always turn out just right. For anyone who thinks that making gollies is politically incorrect, the first golly was the hero of a Dutch story book who was always getting the dolls out of scrapes. I make my dolls in all colors, from pink through brown and black, I have even been known to make up the odd blue or green one just for the fun of it. I wonder, does that make me racist? I have many friends and they come in all colors, shapes and sizes as do my dolls. If we concentrated a bit more on personality and a lot less on color the world would be a whole lot better place. After all, skin is skin whatever color it is!
July 21st, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I LOVE YOUR GOLLIWOG
July 21st, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Thanks everyone for your comments! Golly has proven to be a huge hit and is very much loved!
See Tyson & Golly Photo
September 17th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Concerns are generally next to nothing more than a state of mind
June 16th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Hey, there! Came across your blog while searching for information on golliwogs. Loved your blog, and this post in particular.
Golliwogs are not popular in India, but I fell in love with them since childhood, thanks to the Enid Blyton books I used to read by the dozen. Your golliwog looks so adorable.