60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Discuss Blyton's magazines, short stories and poetry here.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

Its that time again, to open up the latest edition of Enid Blyton's Magazine. :-)

Image

What a great issue this time around! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and there are three uncollected short stories to read, all of which are very good tales.

The cover depicts an illustration from the first story, Robina's Robin - read it by following the link below. Its a good story - the type we are all familiar with, and not many surprises, but quite well written. Of course, its full of wish fulfilment, with the Robin's taking on almost human thought processes - but as children that's something we really do believe anyway, so it works well. I was interested to hear the little girls' name - Robina - which is a new one to me. I wonder if Enid made it up? Of course, it fits the story well!

In her Letter Enid tells us she is sitting outside - it was obviously a lot warmer than we've had it this year. She describes what happened when her cat chases a baby squirrel - and even mentions those famous tennis courts ;-). She also expresses surprise at hearing how angrily the mother squirrel shouts and scolds her cat in a harsh loud voice and it seems Enid hasn't heard this sound before - something I've heard a lot, when our cat chases the squirrels that visit our garden.

Enid also tells us about a competition - highlighted in the last issue, and arranged by Pat Smythe - which has a first prize of a real pony! I was quite shocked by this, looking at it from modern-day perspectives! What would happen if a child won the pony and only had a back yard? What would happen if the pony went to a child who neglected it? I'm sure nowadays such a prize wouldn't be allowed.

The Birthday Kitten reaches its climax today - in a magazine that seems to be crowded with animals - mostly robins and squirrels and cats!

The next uncollected story is Eight Times Nine! - a story along similar lines to others, where a child helps a brownie with a spell by helpfully knowing his tables. Its another well-written story, and has a few strange elements - such as the suggestion that if the spell should go wrong, it could result in fingers growing out of the brownie's nose! Bizarre! Also, the Brownie really does have 'eyes in the back of his head' - as Bill soon finds out, when he sees them looking out of the brownie's hat! A most unusual tale in many ways!

PUZZLE PAGE

Sunbeams Puzzle -

What am I?

Double U and half of Me
Makes both of us, don't you agree?
Add an S and then a T
And a compass point I'll be!


FAMOUS FIVE PUZZLE -

In the following two sentences there are some words which are pronounced the same as the names of animals, birds, fishes or insects, but spelt differently. Can you find them all? There are five altogether.

a) "Can you see that bare place on the wall?"
b) It might be on the stalk.



There's an interesting advert in this issue for some Thomas the Tank Engine books that contain press out models to make of the engines - something I would have loved as a child, as I always enjoyed press out model books and had many of various types. I'm always interested in early merchandise for the Thomas books, as Thomas the Tank was invented in Kings Norton, Birmingham, where I live, whilst the Rev Awdry was the vicar of our parish in the 1940's. He first wrote them as a way to entertain his son, who was ill in bed.

The last uncollected story is another good one, called The Next-door Cat It made me smile, as the cat''s name is Ginger - the same name as one of our cats, and one of the characters is a boy called Harry - who likes cats very much - and that's my dad's name, who also likes cats!

One of Enid's best annual books is advertised in this issue - all ready for Christmas - Enid Blyton's Annual - which is one of my favourite books, and so beautifully illustrated, mostly in full colour. How I wish I'd been a child in 1957 so I could have had such a book for Christmas! Interestingly, Enid calls this 'The Daily Express Annual'.

Lastly, Enid plugs her latest Noddy book - 'Do Look Out Noddy!' - which was one of my favourite Noddy books as a child, featuring the 'con man' Mr Marvel Monkey. :-)

Follow the link to read the wonderful stories in this issue - with thanks to Tony for the scanning he does -

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/maga ... ?magid=921
Last edited by Rob Houghton on 08 Oct 2017, 11:24, edited 1 time in total.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by John Pickup »

Once again, thanks to Rob and Tony for yet another excellent review and link. I liked Robina's Robins and I'm sure I've read another story where a bird or animal comes to the rescue but I can't remember what it was. When I was younger everyone seemed to have a kite but I hardly ever see any children flying one now like in The Next Door Cat.
A real pony for a prize. Wow. Not much good if you live in a terraced house with only a back yard like I used to do.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks John! :-D

Glad you enjoyed the stories and review. I agree about the pony - I can see nothing but trouble with such a prize! Imagine a child entering that competition without their parent's knowledge! :lol:
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Eddie Muir »

Brilliant! Thanks, Rob. I look forward to enjoying your latest offering over the weekend. :D
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by GloomyGraham »

Rob Houghton wrote: She also expresses surprise at hearing how angrily the mother squirrel shouts and scolds her cat in a harsh loud voice and it seems Enid hasn't heard this sound before
That is kind of strange especially since I'm sure in Cherry Tree Farm books she had Scamper loudly scolding someone or something.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Kate Mary »

Good review Rob thank you. An interesting trio of stories, 'Eight Times Nine' reads like it should have a sequel, Enid missed a trick there. The other stories are very good, both with similar themes. The offer of a pony for a competition prize makes me shudder (in the last issue other pets were offered as prizes, it makes one realise how different times were back then regarding animal welfare) but it's interesting that Enid recommends books by other authors, this time Pat Smythe and in the previous issue a Kathleen O'Farrell title 'The Cameron's Lead the way'. I'm grateful to Tony for letting us peep into the pages of the EB Magazine. Thank you.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Courtenay »

Thanks once again, Rob, for your review and Tony for the scans! I enjoyed reading all the uncollected stories this week.
Rob Houghton wrote: The cover depicts an illustration from the first story, Robina's Robin - read it by following the link below. Its a good story - the type we are all familiar with, and not many surprises, but quite well written. Of course, its full of wish fulfilment, with the Robin's taking on almost human thought processes - but as children that's something we really do believe anyway, so it works well. I was interested to hear the little girls' name - Robina - which is a new one to me. I wonder if Enid made it up? Of course, it fits the story well!
I don't think she did make it up — it's certainly not a common name, but I remember a short story in a collection by Joyce Lankester Brisley (who also wrote the Milly-Molly-Mandy books) in which there's a Princess Robina. There's also a suburb of the Gold Coast in southern Queensland called Robina, but that was named much more recently! :wink:

As for the pony as a prize... it is rather disturbing, but I wonder if the idea was that the pony would still be kept on Pat Smythe's property and the winning child would simply be named as the official owner and allowed to come and ride it whenever he or she chose? I just had to look Pat up, as I hadn't heard of her, but I see she was a very famous showjumper in the 1950s and had kept horses all her life. I find it hard to imagine that such an experienced horsewoman would simply give away a pony to a child who quite possibly didn't have the space and the means to care for it properly. But, as we've all said, times were different then!! :shock:
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your write-up, Rob, and the magazine pages. I read Pat Smythe's Jacqueline Rides for a Fall when I was a child (along with lots of other pony books, even though I never had riding lessons) but I had no idea Enid Blyton had read it too! I wonder if the winner of the pony was able to keep it and whether they continued to call it Pixie or changed its name. I'd have had to sell it if I'd won it. My sister once won a top-quality saddle in a horse-themed children's competition and sold it for quite a bit of money. It would be sad to own a pony just for a moment though, knowing it would never really be yours.

'Robina's Robins' is a heartwarming story, beautifully illustrated. I enjoyed 'Eight Times Nine!' too. As a youngster I liked stories which involved working something out and I longed to meet one of the little folk - I was convinced there must be some hiding in our garden! The fact that fairy folk are usually described as having green eyes made me feel proud, as my eyes are green! :lol:
Rob Houghton wrote:FAMOUS FIVE PUZZLE -

In the following two sentences there are some words which are pronounced the same as the names of animals,
birds, fishes or insects, but spelt differently. Can you find them all? There are five altogether.

a) "Can you see that bare place on the wall?"
b) It might be on the stalk.
I'm clearly lacking in intelligence compared to a 1950s child as I can only find four! I'm sure I must be missing something obvious - unless trees are included too, in which case I can find five!

Thanks as always to Rob and Tony!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Tony Summerfield »

You have made me feel good, Anita, as I have got all five - and I didn't cheat as I have only just seen the puzzle.

As always thanks so much, Rob - I am just about keeping up with you in between Journal and proofreading (the day job!).
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks Tony! :-D

Well, I'm level with Anita and can only find four...in fact I was about to recheck the puzzle to see if I'd typed it wrong - but obviously I haven't if you found five, Tony! I need to go back to school obviously! :lol:

I just checked the original puzzle to see if 'trees' were included - but they definitely aren't, so its just animals, birds, fishes and insects. 8)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by pete9012S »

I took this magazine away with me to read and thoroughly enjoyed it.Something for everyone in this issue.
Thanks again to Rob and Tony for preparing the review and scans for us.

I was surprised at the inking of the Famous Five story Get Into A fix in this issue:

Image

The inking seems sloppily done,as if in a rush.It's hard to imagine that Eileen Soper or Enid Blyton wanted to give the impression that old Mrs Jones had a blue goatee! Julian's collar... well we'll get to that shortly.

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... ustrations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Image

This early illustration is not one of Eileen's best depictions of Tim - he looks most strange and undog-like in this illustration.

Julian's head wear looks like he has just come out of hospital, and Dick's.. well I just don't know what to make of Dick's headgear at all. Is he wearing a headband of some description?

If you look through all these illustrations it appears that Eileen was somehow finding it very difficult to draw the collars on the boys shirts too..

Image
Dick's collar...

Image

Julian's collar - well out of control..

Image
The illustration that made it to the book - collar any better?

Still, a fantastic story and I'm sure these minor foibles wouldn't have bothered me one bit when the magazine originally came out.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by number 6 »

Like Tony, I've only just seen the puzzle! Found all five. :D
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

I agree about Julian's untidy collar - looks like Eileen Soper was having a struggle to draw it properly! Many of Eileen's illustrations for the magazine, although often interesting to see as they were different to the books, were roughly done - unlike Burgess Sharrocks' illustrations for the magazine - which seemed superior to those he contributed to the books!

The 'inking' of the illustrations was probably added by the printers of the magazine, rather than by Eileen Soper, and I agree its been sloppily done. This was often the case with comics even when I was a child in the 1970's and 80's. I can remember these single colours being added in a similar slapdash way to illustrations in Beano, Dandy, Whizzer and Chips etc. As the colour would be applied from a separate colour-plate during printing, sometimes it wouldn't line up with the illustration.

I know a little about this as it happened with some of the two-colour programmes I produced for my amateur operatic society in the past. You had to make separate colour 'plates' (I had to provide two or three separate drawings, one for each colour - one with the black areas, one with the yellow areas, one with the red areas, for example) and then the printer lined them up afterwards...sometimes badly, even though I had painstakingly traced them and got them as accurate as possible!

This even happens in books from time to time. I've had a few copies of books where the full-colour illustrations look 'blurred' because colours have been added wrongly. :evil:
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Courtenay »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:
Rob Houghton wrote:FAMOUS FIVE PUZZLE -

In the following two sentences there are some words which are pronounced the same as the names of animals,
birds, fishes or insects, but spelt differently. Can you find them all? There are five altogether.

a) "Can you see that bare place on the wall?"
b) It might be on the stalk.
I'm clearly lacking in intelligence compared to a 1950s child as I can only find four! I'm sure I must be missing something obvious - unless trees are included too, in which case I can find five!
I definitely found all five. There's one of them that only really works if you speak English with a non-rhotic accent... :wink:
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

number 6 wrote:Like Tony, I've only just seen the puzzle! Found all five. :D
I know what the fifth one is now, after talking to Tony! Can't believe I missed it!

I too have come across inking that's so sloppy it makes the pictures look blurred. It's most annoying. Tony had to put two versions of certain Secret Seven Adventure illustrations in the Cave because the colour was so badly aligned in the first edition. Here's just one example:

First edition:
Image

Later edition:
Image
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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