The Enid Blyton Society

Rob Houghton wrote:It's good to see the support Viv's shops had on the website - and I fully supported them too of course, even though I never got to visit - but I think people are slightly missing the point that even if Viv had another premises to use as a Blyton shop, it would be a struggle to make ends meet because she can't compete with the cheaper book prices of supermarkets and other book sale type shops. I think that was one of the main issues.

Yes, that seems to have been one of the main issues but it might be possible for such a shop to survive as part of a larger attraction, with visitors wanting to buy a memento of their visit. But I think it's extremely difficult to find a central, affordable location ("central" and "affordable" probably don't go together)! There were some excellent activities in Eileen Soper's Illustrated World and it was a spacious building with plenty of shop space but I think Viv said she'd have preferred a venue in Corfe if that had been possible.

I read everyone's kind comments the evening before the funeral, and was grateful for your support.

I have adapted the homily I wrote below


Mark Annis; one of the world’s good guys.
We had met at an adult education Photography course. I was there because I wanted to take photos for my book, The Dorset days of Enid Blyton. 16 years ago I was running the Dorset Scrapstore, and the day Mark offered to help sort a huge pile of coloured cardboard, I knew that here was one of the good guys.

He was intrigued about my interest in Blyton, because he was a share-holder in the parent company, Chorion. (He had bought the shares because of his own interest in another of their “properties” – Agatha Christie) So when Chorion was being tardy in granting me permission for a holiday project, we hatched up a plan; I would gate-crash their AGM, accessing the meeting as his proxy. It worked – I got to speak to several board members and got the permission! I told myself – it’s what Fatty would have done...

I didn’t have to look far to find Mark’s hero
* Dad liked photography. Mark did photography
* Dad was an accountant. Mark was an accountant.
* Dad liked running. Mark did running
* Dad grew raspberries. Mark grew raspberries

Yet I did begin to wonder just whose life Mark thought he was living. However when I got to meet John and Pat I was welcomed by warm, loving parents who were desperate to understand ME, the chronic illness that had turned their bright, active son into a zombie. As a fellow sufferer I was able to help:-

ME is a strange condition and is triggered when your immune system still thinks it is fighting a virus. For Mark it started with a simple cold. Some sufferer’s have described it as living with continual flu. ME can be managed to some extent, but not fought, because pushing yourself too hard can result in several days in bed or even trigger a relapse. I regard it as The Dementor’s Kiss in that it sucks all the joy out of life. Simple pleasures, such as going to see the snow-drops at Kingston Lacy, can be all too much. The man who as a teenager had represented Dorset in athletics, at times could barely walk to the shops. His promising accountancy career was put on hold, as was his deep longing to have a family of his own.

Yet there was one time of the year when all caution about a relapse was thrown to the wind. Mark had run 4x around Poole Park lake every Boxing Day morning since the age of 7, and carrying on this bizarre tradition made him feel that this wretched illness hadn’t beaten him. Yes – he even attempted it only 7 weeks ago, aided and abetted by his school-friend Richard and sister-in-law Jan, although this time he realised that retiring at 2 laps was an honourable achievement. Although I told him I thought he was bonkers, I was very proud of him, and as Mark put it, “running round in circles does it for me!”

Mark was my right hand man. I had never asked Mark to take on the admin side of Ginger Pop, but he just assumed the role, and again it was a way to show that the illness wasn’t beating him. Whereas I can generate novel ideas, Mark could bring them to fruition, using his accountancy skills and the experience of talking through business plans as a mentor for Young Enterprise.

So when on the day before he died he announced to me that he “had a bad idea” I was astonished, because so far as I knew, Mark had never entertained a bad idea before in his life!
“Go on then – what is this bad idea of yours?” I asked.
He briefly explained his get-away plan and how he wanted to go for a walk along the River Thames. Instead, we talked about the boat trip we’d taken along the river with my nephew Jack, on the day after Mark had taken us all to the London Olympics.

His dad continued to be Mark’s hero, even as he became his Carer in the last few weeks. That’s because John Annis too, is one of the world’s Good Guys.

That's a lovely tribute to Mark, Viv. Thank you for sharing it with us. All the best for your future.

Lovely words Viv which I'm sure went down very well. Like Daisy I wish you all the best for the future. There is a proposed meet up taking place in Exbury later this year, it would be great if you could come.

sixret wrote:Sorry to hear the sad news, Viv. You can always sell your items online. No premise, no rent, no hired staff.

And no pleasure of browsing and chatting.

A lovely tribute, Viv.

A worthy tribute, Viv!

That's a beautiful tribute, Viv. Thank you for sharing it here as well.

Sorry to hear about your loss Viv and the closure of the shop. A lovely tribute.

A wonderful homily, Viv. My admiration for you has increased even more. Thank you so much for sharing it with us - it was an act that is very much appreciated.

A wonderful tribute, Viv. Best wishes to you.

Thank you for sharing that, Viv - it was indeed a lovely tribute.

It is a lovely tribute, Viv. My thoughts are with you and I wish you good luck for the future.

Hi Viv
Very sorry to catch up on your sad news about Matk.
Corfe is not the same now Ginger Pop shop is not there.
Hope you can get another shop up and running.
Thanks for the books and things you stocked. I have a great collection.

You taught me so much about Enid and took me to places around Swanage associated with her stories. Thanks for this and may be one day I will ride in a hotse drawn buggy.

Sorry to learn about Mark but you wrote a lovely tribute.
Thanks.
William

I've made the reluctant decision to landfill the remnants of the Eileen Soper exhibition, which is in storage in Worksop.

I can't think of any other option for a purpose built block of Secret Seven Windmill, Uncle Quentin's study with integral secret door to a part built secret passage...

Any thoughts?

Viv