Greyfriars Bobby

Merrythought

£179

Greyfriars Bobby was showcased on the inside first page of Merrythought’s inaugural 1931 catalogue – the only page in full colour! This characterful soft toy was inspired by Eleanor Atkinson’s celebrated novel, ‘Greyfriars Bobby’, which told the story of a loyal Skye Terrier and his devotion to his owner, John Gray, who passed away on 15 February 1858. Until his own passing many years later, Bobby slept upon his master’s grave in Greyfriars churchyard. Famous for being ‘the hero of the most charming dog story ever written’, Greyfriars Bobby returns to our range almost a century later. Lovingly

Merrythought's own words, read from their page.

Buy from MerrythoughtPrice seen 2026-09-04. Affiliate link.

Where this comes from

The part other shops don't tell you. Three separate questions, kept separate on purpose, each with its source.

UK company
Registered at Companies House as MERRYTHOUGHT LIMITED, number 00250646. Checked 2026-08-29.
Means the business is a British legal entity, not a British-sounding name owned elsewhere. It says nothing about where anything is made.
UK operations
Stated by the company: "The original factory in Ironbridge, Shropshire, remains Merrythought's home to this day; a magical place where each teddy bear is brought to life using the finest materials and traditional craftsmanship that has been handed down the four generations of the company." Source.
Means people employed here, or premises they actually work from. We keep this separate from the company badge because a registered office can be an accountant's spare room, and a company can be registered in Britain while everything it does happens somewhere else. Where we have not looked, we say so rather than assuming.
British-owned
No majority shareholding traced outside the UK. Companies House.
Read from the register of people with significant control, following the chain of holding companies. It does not gate anything: a firm can be made here and owned elsewhere, and that is worth telling you rather than hiding.
Where it is made
The maker doesn't say, so neither do we.
This is about the individual product, not the company. A British firm can sell things made abroad, which is normal and not a criticism. We would rather tell you which is which than average them into a score.