Lester Reed
Played by Trevor Fox
| Fact title | Fact data |
|---|---|
| Date of birth |
17 April 1866
|
| Place of birth |
Newcastle
|
| Age at outbreak of WW1 |
48
|
| Occupation |
Toy shop owner
|
| Address |
Prudhoe Street, North Shields
|
Lester Reed is proprietor of three toyshops, along with his sister Iris. Having agreed provide Marshall’s factory with Christmas stockings, ambitious Lester feels like he is going up in the world after years of providing cheap toys to the children of North Shields. In fact, he has an eye on the more salubrious Tynemouth and, specifically, Evelina White’s toyshop.
In keeping with the atmosphere of the time, Lester instinctively detests anything associated with Germany, whether it is their 1916 peace proposals, their music or their superior-quality toys, now embargoed due to the war. Hosting meetings of like-minded jingoists, he seeks to rid Tyneside of any Hunnish influences, exploiting paranoia about a mythical “Hidden Hand”. It seems that wounded Kenny is the ideal toy soldier for Lester’s nefarious game.
