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Is this the world's biggest Simpsons collection?

Friday, June 26, 2009, 07:00

A Bristol man believes he has the biggest collection of Simpsons memorabilia in the world.

Glynne Williams has more than 30,000 items linked to the popular cartoon TV series, but they are currently all in his loft in Patchway.

The 42-year-old courier says only close friends and family have seen the collection, but he thinks there is enough interest in the bright yellow characters to open it up to the public.

Over the past 12 years, he's spent more than £50,000 on the collection.

The current Guinness world record holder of the biggest Simpson memorabilia lives in Australia and has 2,580 items in his collection.

Mr Williams told the Evening Post: "It is getting overcrowded up in the loft, and I think people would like to be able to have a look at all this stuff. What I'd like to do is put them on display in a unit somewhere in Patchway, and put Patchway on the map globally. Maybe I could even get a unit in Cribbs Causeway or Cabot Circus to show them off."

Glynne's collection starts in his garden, at the home he shares with his teddy bear-collecting wife, Andrena.

Sat on a bench behind their home are three huge, human-sized figures of the characters Marge and her two daughters Maggie and Lisa, which Glynne bought from an internet auction website.

He has bought most of his collection online, and still buys about 10 items a week, spending about £150 a month on his hobby.

One of his most recent acquisitions was a limited edition lunchbox made in Japan, which he tracked down in Australia.

But his prize possession is a huge, four-player arcade game that he bought for £200 and went up to Glasgow to collect.

The collection started more than 12 years ago when he was given a poster, and then some little plastic figures. Then everyone started buying him Simpsons-related goodies for every birthday and Christmas present, and soon he had filled the spare bedroom.

Glynne said: "I wasn't a huge fan before it all, but I did watch it. Now I have watched every single episode ever made – a couple of times.

"Whenever we go on holiday I pick something up – armbands from Tenerife, a nuclear powerplant lava lamp from Florida.

He has heard about two other large collections in America, but he believes his is comparable in size if not bigger.

His loft is covered with huge Simpsons posters, and split into various sections – toys, lunchboxes, masks, cards, food stuffs and drinks, videos, figurines, computer goods, clocks and watches, bar ware and glasses, car accessories, wallets and autographs.

The only thing he doesn't collect is clothing and fabrics, because he says they are never-ending.

Glynne said: "The Simpsons appeal to the child in all of us – I think it is the primary colours."

According to Guiness World Records, the largest collection of Simpsons memorabilia belongs to Cameron Gibbs of Skye, Victoria, Australia.

If you can help Glynne with his dream of opening a full-time display, email him at thedxman@live.co.uk.

Is this the world's biggest Simpsons collection?
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