Frank Hornby

Frank Hornby was an English inventor, businessman and politician. He was a visionary in toy development and manufacture, and although he had no formal engineering training, he was responsible for the invention and production of three of the most popular lines of toys based on engineering principles in the 20th century: Meccano, Hornby Model Railways and Dinky Toys. He also founded the British toy company Meccano Ltd in 1908, and launched a monthly publication, Meccano Magazine in 1916.

15 May 1863

Born on the same birth day (15 May): Arthur Jackson (sport shooter) • Ben Wallace (politician) • Clara Solovera • Daniel Caines • David Adams (baseball) • Eddy Arnold • Giselle Fernández • Jim Bacon (politician) • John Storey (politician) • Khaosai Galaxy • Luis Pérez-Sala • Mark Fayne • Mike Oldfield • Sébastien Le Prestre, Marquis of Vauban • Ted Dexter

Born in the same month (May 1863): Archduke Eugen of Austria • Arthur Mold • Bob Fitzsimmons • Francis Younghusband • George Grey Barnard • John Charles Fields • Léon Gérin • Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury • Władysław Horodecki