Since the going-out-of-business signs went up at The Toy Soldier in Fairport three weeks ago, every customer who walks through the quaint toy store's door in the old Victorian house wants to know why.

This was in 1893 when William Britain invented the first hollowed-out, lead-alloy toy soldier for Victorian children. Previously, most toy soldiers had been two-dimensional solid lead figures ...

Since their debut in the late 19th century, toy soldiers have, at their core, hardly changed. They stand two to three inches tall. They are made of metal or, more commonly these days, plastic ...

This was in 1893 when William Britain invented the first hollowed-out, lead-alloy toy soldier for Victorian children. Previously, most toy soldiers had been two-dimensional solid lead figures ...