Try this extension:

• Roomy Bookmarks Toolbar: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/roomy-bookmarks-toolbar/

Just a little extra - perhaps for a wider audience - to make more room -

Right click on the particular bookmark on the toolbar, then click on Properties. You can abbreviate the Name right down to nothing. You can also put similar bookmarks into Folders with appropriate names on the Bookmarks Toolbar. Again, right clicking on the Bar will offer New Folder.

Not everyone seems to know that overflow of bookmarks goes down the right side of the page, accessed via the chevrons(double arrowhead).

Note that you can also do this with code in userChrome.css.

Add code to the userChrome.css file below the default @namespace line.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/userChrome.css

@namespace url("http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul"); /* only needed once */

#PlacesToolbarItems > .bookmark-item:not([container]) .toolbarbutton-text{display:none!important}

The customization files userChrome.css (user interface) and userContent.css (websites) are located in the chrome folder in the Firefox profile folder.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Editing_configuration

You can use this button to go to the current Firefox profile folder:

• Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

• Create the chrome folder (lowercase) in the <xxxxxxxx>.default profile folder if this folder doesn't exist
• Use a plain text editor like Notepad to create a (new) userChrome.css file in the chrome folder (file name is case sensitive)
• Paste the code in the userChrome.css file in the editor window
• Make sure that the userChrome.css file starts with the default @namespace line
• Make sure that you select "All files" and not "Text files" when you save the file via "Save file as" in the text editor as userChrome.css.
  Otherwise Windows may add a hidden .txt file extension and you end up with a not working userChrome.css.txt file

• C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile>\chrome\userChrome.css

Thank you for your time taken to help me out with this niggling issue that surprisingly to me didn't seem to be so for many other people, I was hoping for a solution that didn't involve any more add-ons so it looks like the 'code option' is my way forward. Past experience tells me , however, that this option has got disaster written all over it, no doubt accompanied by rage, scurillity, + other character flaws I've found that my use of a PC can so often bring to light, "it'll be different this time..." I think to myself as I embark on my latest ill-fated, doomed from the start, mission. We'll see, thanks again for your input, let's see if those instructions are idiot-proof?..........