Pelham Puppets Vent Puppets

Left to Right, The Girl, Cornelia, Fido, Boy, Boy, Katie, Boy, Bob Pelham

Bob Pelham produced several ventriloquial puppets over the years. 4 hand operated puppets were produced for the 1953 film "Lili" but these were designed to be used without the puppeteer being seen. Although others were produced earlier the company introduced its main vent range in the summer edition of Pelpup News 1968, number 15. The range started with just seven which had sheepskin hair and no legs. The picture to the right shows a vent boy in the care of Tommy Wrey, son of Charlie Wrey who owned Pelham Puppets from 1986 to 1990.

Katie the Caterpillar (moving eyes) Walter (Boy with a deerstalker hat) Fido (The dog) Brother Sid (The Monk) Boggles (A Girl) Supy (A Boy) Cornelia (Moving eyes)

In 1971 the sheepskin hair was replaced by fake fur and the vent puppets gained legs. Katie, Walter, The Monk and Cornelia were all dropped from the range.
The 1989 sales leaflet picture is shown below. At that time they were priced at £41.99

Nurse The Tramp Clown Fido The Boy (a renamed Supy) Policeman The Girl (a renamed Boggles) Soldier

Other vents known to have been produced were

Oscar the TV Owl Horror Boy (1965) The Monkey The Guardsman

In the 1992 sales leaflet there were only 3 listed and these were only made to order.
The cost in 1992 was £99.99

The Tramp The Girl The Boy (With short hair