SMF Wife Club - Distribution of Toys to Children - early 1970s

SMF Wife Club – Distribution of Toys to Children – 1970s (Courtesy: Mario Bosquet)

When talking about the Special Mobile Force (SMF) of Mauritius, the first picture that comes to our mind is the Mauritian Army and the Mauritius Police, and their roles? Defend the country primarily and provide support in any activity deemed helpful towards the society. Well, this social and patriotic duty was not only meant to those directly engaged in the army, but back in the 1970s, the Special Mobile Force also had what was called at the Wife Club (SMF Wife Club) initiated by Lt Colonel and Mrs P. Ward, which judging by the image, was engaged in certain social activities of different kinds. From the above image, the SMF Wife Club is distributing toys to children, most probably in a village somewhere round the island.

For sure, those kids were the most happiest then. In the past, or rather, in those days, not many families could afford offering their kids with toys and other related gifts. Most of the time, especially during Christmas, gifts that children received were the simplest they could get, but still, just the action of receiving something meant a lot to them, and ‘tin toys’ were the most-wanted in those years (1960s – 1980s).

Tin Toys – Old Mauritius Gifts for Children (Objects of the Musee de la Petite Collection – Ile Maurice)

Childhood of those days were most of the time spent outside the house, in the yard, on the trees and at the river. Playing with nature and in the soil, riding parents bicycle secretly, playing with matches and other small things that could be obtained. These moments are now gone as technology and electronics have replaced those manual toys. Mobile phones have taken over.