Wikipedia gives some more information about Robertson's golly badges (<a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Robertson%27s">http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Robertson%27s</a>):

Gollywog branding

Just before <a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, John Robertson (son of James Robertson) was on a tour of the <a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a>. Whilst on a visit to the backwoods he noticed many young children playing with little black rag dolls with white eyes, made from their mothers' discarded black skirts and white blouses. Intrigued by the popularity of the "<a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Golliwog" title="Golliwog">Golly</a>" (the name being the children's interpretation of doll), he thought it would make an ideal mascot and trade mark for the Robertson's range of products. Accepted by the company, Golly was first shown on Robertson literature in 1910, on items such as labels and price lists.

Collectables series

In the mid-1920s, skilled <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Enamelling" title="Enamelling">enameller</a> H. Miller from <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Birmingham,_West_Midlands" title="Birmingham, West Midlands">Birmingham's</a> <a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Jewellery_Quarter" title="Jewellery Quarter">Jewellery Quarter</a> approached the company with the idea of enamelled "mascots". Miller produced the first design, a Golly <a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Professional_golfer" title="Professional golfer">golfer</a> in 1928.

Developed as a <a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Badge" title="Badge">brooch</a>-based <a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Collecting" title="Collecting">collector</a> series, by the early 1930s the Golly had appeared in little fruit designs, many of which were worn as <a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Jewellery" title="Jewellery">jewellery</a> because of their high quality. More sporting designs followed, including county cricketers and footballers with footballs in team colours. 1937 saw the Coronation Golly, complete with <a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Union_Jack" title="Union Jack">Union Jack</a> on its chest.

In 1939 the scheme was discontinued as the metal was needed for the war effort, but by 1946 the Golly was back again. The Golly pendant with chain was introduced by popular demand in 1956. In the 1970s, the design of all Gollies changed from the old Golly with "pop eyes" to the present day Golly with eyes looking to the left. The words "Golden Shred" were removed from his waistcoat, his legs straightened and smile broadened. At about the same time a range of 11 footballer and 12 musician Golly figures were produced in plaster, standing about 2.5" high.

The Robertson Golly was not only limited to badges. There were Robertson Golly dolls, ceramic, Golly games for children, even Golly clothing. At the start of the 1980s the hard enamelled badges were replaced with cheaper to produce acrylic badges, but this did not affect their popularity.

When production stopped in 2001, over 20 million Gollies had been sent out.

Discontinuation of Golly

Robertson's officially 'retired' Golly in 2002. The company had found that Golly was, on the whole, no longer popular with the children of families, although the scheme was still successful with adult collectors.

Robertson's always insisted that they did not retire the Golly because of the pressure of "<a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Political_correctness" title="Political correctness">political correctness</a>" in the 1990s, but simply for commercial reasons.^{<a href="http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Robertson%27s#cite_note-TelgCease-2">[2]</a>} The brand director at Robertson's commented: