In message , NY
writes

My dad had a large cabinet of Meccano - lots of drawers with little
compartments for each type of gear, plate, metal strip etc. I used to
love making models (eg a back-axle differential) with it, but when I
grew up and left home, Dad lent the Meccano to a work colleague for his
son to play with. After a year or so he asked for it back. The
colleague had thought that it was a gift and had eventually disposed of
it (he hadn't even sold it) when his son got tired of it. Relations
between dad and his colleague were a bit strained for ever afterwards :-(

Ouch. Sadly, I think most of us would have lost our favourite toys or
hobbies in similar circumstances. It was normal for anything we were
deemed to have grown out of to go to younger children of friends or
relatives. Failing that, there were always jumble sales for some good
cause. Whatever happened to my Dinky Toys?

One result, though. A year or two ago, I opened a parcel from my
brother, only to find lots of plastic soldiers he had found in our Mum's
loft; not the little Airfix ones, but larger by Britains, Timpo etc.
Some were free with Kellog's Cornflakes. Some I had been given by
Father Christmas at Gamages, the same year my Dad had made me a wooden
fort for Christmas. Probably 1956 or 57.
--
Graeme