By . Steve Nolan . With hundreds of plastic legs, arms, and heads stacked high in boxes, it looks like a haunting resting place for hundreds of unwanted dolls discarded by girls who no longer want to play with them. But although Sydney's Famous Original Doll Hospital does have a cemetery for doll parts that are beyond repair, many of the toy parts littering the workshop are waiting to be given a new lease of life. For the company has been the saviour of hundreds of thousands of Australian girls devastated when their beloved doll has lost a limb or been damaged in an overly boisterous game and has revived millions of childhood memories. Centenary Spare doll's parts sit waiting to be used for repair at Sydney's Original Doll Hospital which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year . Concentrating: Gail Grainger works on a doll at Sydney's Original Doll Hospital in Bexley . Spare parts: Hundreds of spare dolls' arms and legs are kept in boxes at the hospital's workshop in Bexley, Sydney . Repairs: Doll body parts are hung up to dry after being painted at the workshop . The workshop is about to mark 100 years of repairing dolls after it was opened thanks to a shipping error in the Australian city back in 1913. And despite changing technology meaning that many modern children are more interested in the latest gadgets or computer games, the business is still going strong, with dolls sent from all over Australia and even across the sea from New Zealand for repair. The shop was founded by accident by Harold Chapman Snr in 1913. His brother was in the business of importing celluloid dolls from Japan but the rubber bands that held them together would often disintegrate and the dolls would be damaged. Waiting room: An old fashioned doll, or 'patient', sits waiting to be repaired in the Sydney Doll Hospital . Resting place: A sign saying 'The Doll's Cemetary' hangs over a section of the warehouse that is used for waste parts . Haunting: Spare dolls heads, some needed new paintwork, others needing repairs to their eyes, are piled high . Fortunately for his brother, Mr Chapman Snr found a way to fix the dolls and set up a section dedicated to doll repair in his general store. But demand for doll repair grew as word spread and the business was soon expanded. It was taken over by Mr Chapman Snr's son, also called Harold, in the 1930s and expanded the type of product being fixed to leather goods, toys and umbrellas. The start of World War Two really saw the doll hospital thrive however. Restrictions on manufacturing and importing goods to Australia meant that children and collectors had to make do with their old dolls instead of buying new ones and more repairs were needed. Getting a spruce up: Gail Grainger works on making the torso of a doll look the part before its limbs are reattached . Accidental beginnings: The Doll Hospital was opened after founder Harold Chapman Snr's brother ordered celluloid dolls from Japan which were damaged in transit . Labour of love: Current Hospital owner Geoff Chapman, the third generation of the Chapman family to run it, is pictured in the workshop . At one point during the war the hospital had 70 'nurses' working in six different repair rooms. By its 95th birthday, the hospital had carried out a staggering 2.5mllion repairs. Now, the hospital has been passed onto its third generation of the Chapman family, with Harold Jnr's son Geoff now in charge. He said on the company's website: 'There is nothing more satisfying than seeing the smile on a little girl's face when she comes to collect her beloved doll. 'People often have tears in their eyes when they have to leave their precious dolls, but tears of joy when they come to collect them and see the transformation.' Thriving: Business really boomed during World War Two when restrictions on manufacturing and importing goods meant that new dolls were hard to come by . For sale: As well as repairing dolls, the hospital also has a range for sale . In need of care: A doll has been taken apart and is ready for repair at Sydney's Original Doll Hospital .
Sydney's Famous Original Doll Hospital is celebrating its 100th birthday .
It was founded after some dolls were damaged in transit from Japan in 1913 .
Dolls are still sent from all over Australia and even New Zealand for repair .
By . Steve Nolan . With hundreds of plastic legs, arms, and heads stacked high in boxes, it looks like a haunting resting place for hundreds of unwanted dolls discarded by girls who no longer want to play with them. But although Sydney's Famous Original Doll Hospital does have a cemetery for doll parts that are beyond repair, many of the toy parts littering the workshop are waiting to be given a new lease of life. For the company has been the saviour of hundreds of thousands of Australian girls devastated when their beloved doll has lost a limb or been damaged in an overly boisterous game and has revived millions of childhood memories. Centenary Spare doll's parts sit waiting to be used for repair at Sydney's Original Doll Hospital which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year . Concentrating: Gail Grainger works on a doll at Sydney's Original Doll Hospital in Bexley . Spare parts: Hundreds of spare dolls' arms and legs are kept in boxes at the hospital's workshop in Bexley, Sydney . Repairs: Doll body parts are hung up to dry after being painted at the workshop . The workshop is about to mark 100 years of repairing dolls after it was opened thanks to a shipping error in the Australian city back in 1913. And despite changing technology meaning that many modern children are more interested in the latest gadgets or computer games, the business is still going strong, with dolls sent from all over Australia and even across the sea from New Zealand for repair. The shop was founded by accident by Harold Chapman Snr in 1913. His brother was in the business of importing celluloid dolls from Japan but the rubber bands that held them together would often disintegrate and the dolls would be damaged. Waiting room: An old fashioned doll, or 'patient', sits waiting to be repaired in the Sydney Doll Hospital . Resting place: A sign saying 'The Doll's Cemetary' hangs over a section of the warehouse that is used for waste parts . Haunting: Spare dolls heads, some needed new paintwork, others needing repairs to their eyes, are piled high . Fortunately for his brother, Mr Chapman Snr found a way to fix the dolls and set up a section dedicated to doll repair in his general store. But demand for doll repair grew as word spread and the business was soon expanded. It was taken over by Mr Chapman Snr's son, also called Harold, in the 1930s and expanded the type of product being fixed to leather goods, toys and umbrellas. The start of World War Two really saw the doll hospital thrive however. Restrictions on manufacturing and importing goods to Australia meant that children and collectors had to make do with their old dolls instead of buying new ones and more repairs were needed. Getting a spruce up: Gail Grainger works on making the torso of a doll look the part before its limbs are reattached . Accidental beginnings: The Doll Hospital was opened after founder Harold Chapman Snr's brother ordered celluloid dolls from Japan which were damaged in transit . Labour of love: Current Hospital owner Geoff Chapman, the third generation of the Chapman family to run it, is pictured in the workshop . At one point during the war the hospital had 70 'nurses' working in six different repair rooms. By its 95th birthday, the hospital had carried out a staggering 2.5mllion repairs. Now, the hospital has been passed onto its third generation of the Chapman family, with Harold Jnr's son Geoff now in charge. He said on the company's website: 'There is nothing more satisfying than seeing the smile on a little girl's face when she comes to collect her beloved doll. 'People often have tears in their eyes when they have to leave their precious dolls, but tears of joy when they come to collect them and see the transformation.' Thriving: Business really boomed during World War Two when restrictions on manufacturing and importing goods meant that new dolls were hard to come by . For sale: As well as repairing dolls, the hospital also has a range for sale . In need of care: A doll has been taken apart and is ready for repair at Sydney's Original Doll Hospital .
is celebrating its 100th birthday this year . dolls sent from all over Australia and even across the sea from New Zealand for repair. The which were damaged in transit . Labour of love: at Sydney's Original Doll Hospital .