WHAT started with a single cherished Christmas doll has blossomed into one of Ipswich’s most anticipated events – the Ipswich Gala Doll Fair, set to return on Sunday, April 27, at the North Ipswich Reserve Corporate Function Centre.
At the heart of it all is Val Metcalfe, a passionate collector and organiser whose love for dolls began at the tender age of three.
“I remember getting my first doll for Christmas – my sister got the same one,” Ms Metcalfe said.
“They were Pedigree dolls, which came out close to 80 years ago. I kept that one doll and carried it everywhere.”
Now 77, Ms Metcalfe laughs as she recalls the moment her collecting journey truly began – after the birth of her twin daughters.
“I only had the one doll, and I thought, ‘Oh no, I can’t have them fighting over it’,” she said.
“So I went looking for another one from the same era, and that’s when I got hooked. I just kept buying and buying. I suppose I’m a collector at heart.”
A resident of Ipswich for 44 years, Ms Metcalfe found that second doll in an antique shop at The Fiveways.
That find lit a spark not just in her, but in the community. Ipswich has hosted doll shows for over 50 years, with Val now leading the largest one yet.
“A small group of doll lovers staged the very first doll show at the Ipswich Old Courthouse,” she said.
“The first show had about 20 traders.”
As interest grew, the show moved to the Ipswich Civic Centre, where it thrived for many years.
Then, in 1989, Ms Metcalfe decided to branch out on her own – and the Ipswich Gala Doll Fair was born.
“Now we have around 65 traders, and it just keeps growing,” she said.
Although she jokes that her collection is “not as bad as some people’s”, she still has “a couple of hundred” dolls – some over a century old.
The upcoming fair promises to be a feast for the senses for any doll lover.
“From the moment you walk in, you’re surrounded by thousands of dolls and bears,” Ms Metcalfe said.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or simply curious, the Ipswich Gala Doll Fair is a testament to the passion and community that one woman – and one doll – helped create.
