Princess Elizabeth’s little house / Y Bwthyn Bach. Source: Victoria and Albert Museum.

This dolls’ house was made in the 1930s by Lines Bros of Merton, Surrey. It is a model of the Welsh cottage style playhouse which was presented to Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) on her sixth birthday in 1932 by the people of Wales. The original ‘Y Bwthyn Bach’ now stands in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The cottage was used to raise funds for children’s hospital charities before the Princess was allowed to play with it. It has four rooms including a kitchen and bathroom fully equipped with working appliances. Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, loved to give parties in the cottage. Few children had such a large house to play in but this dolls’ house version cost 56/- (£2.80) which many parents could afford.