— Lollipop people first began working in 1953 when 1,500 were recruited in London. They started helping adults as well as children in 2001
— They were introduced to enable policemen, who had previously run crossing patrols, to perform other duties
— The earliest lollipops were red and black rectangles printed with “Stop, Children Crossing”
— In 1953, Laurel and Hardy were rehearsing in Northampton, when P.C. Spiller of the Northamptonshire Constabulary enticed them outside for the photograph below to promote Road Safety Week.
— The round lollipop was introduced in the 1960s. In 1974 the uniform changed to the familiar yellow coat
— In 2005, Lollipopman the Superhero of the Highway was introduced in his first children's book.
— In 2006 lollipop people in the London Borough of Richmond started a “Stop Means Stop” campaign in response to drivers’ refusal to obey signs
— Britain’s longest-serving lollipop lady was Eunice Robinson who celebrated 40 years of work on a single patrol in 2002. Ms Robinson had planned to take the job only for a few months as a favour to a friend
— In 2003 Audrey Elliot, a lollipop lady from Derbyshire, was instructed by Derbyshire County Council to remove badges with which she had decorated her hat
— Scotland’s annual Lollipop Person of the Year award attracts about 4,000 entrants. The top prize is a cheque for £4,000 and a golden lollipop
— In 2008, the second Lollipopman book 'Lollipopman and the Rabbit of Doom' was published.
— Also in 2008, some lollipop people were fitted with cameras to catch people with 'lollipop rage'.
Source: Lollipop Person of the Year Award; Times archive
