The Enid Blyton Society

Lucy Loud-Voice
Enid Blyton's Sunny Stories No. 429 April 30, 1948

I have been after this edition of Sunny Stories since 2013 and I finally got it this week for about £1.
The story caused Enid a bit of bother and the title had to be changed to something else.I'm sure most will know why.

Besides the title change,was anything else changed about the story in any way?
I do have the interview with the original Lucy in our society Journal and wasn't sure if it was ok to include it here.

Here's the story anyway.Imagine Enid Blyton writing a story all about you!!

Lucy Loud- Voice:
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In 1954 it appeared in The Sixth Bedside Book -



by which time it was renamed 'Linda Loud Voice'

Hmmm, quite a creepy little story! So was there a "real Lucy" for whose sake the title later had to be changed to protect her identity? Seems a bit odd, as I can't imagine the events in that story happening in real life (well, I hope)...

Nice to see, by the way, that this edition of Sunny Stories (April 30th, 1948) features one of my favourites out of Enid's "toys in the playroom" short stories, The Strange Sailor Doll (I knew it from the Purnell collection Toyland Tales when I was little). A heartwarming little piece that could even be read as Enid giving a call for respect for people (or at least toys) with disabilities!

Courtenay wrote:Hmmm, quite a creepy little story! So was there a "real Lucy" for whose sake the title later had to be changed to protect her identity? Seems a bit odd, as I can't imagine the events in that story happening in real life (well, I hope)...

I think it was just the character rather than the story! As far as I remember 'Lucy' lived next door to Enid Blyton and was always in the garden yelling and shouting. Maybe others will remember more details. Enid felt she was being disturbed, as she usually typed her stories in the garden, so she vented her anger by putting the girl next door in a story - using her proper name - which I presume was Lucy. The neighbours soon discovered that the story was written about their Lucy and caused trouble - not sure exactly what, but Enid had to change the name.

I think the parents complained later that they always had to put up with Enid's constant typing noises, too! I guess they had a point!

Personally I'd have been proud to have a story written about me by Enid Blyton, lol!!

Courtenay wrote:...was there a "real Lucy" for whose sake the title later had to be changed to protect her identity?

There was a really good Journal article about it.




Lucie Nottingham (centre) and friends - Can anyone recognize the books she is holding?

The Gala Evening of three films about Enid Blyton provided an opportunity for local Beaconsfield residents, whether genuine fans or just intrigued by her, to find out more about her life and work. The audience of nearly 100 also included many who had travelled a long way to join us. One party of three friends included Lucie Nottingham, who had come all the way from Cornwall. Lucie told me that her family were next-door neighbours to Green Hedges and that Enid Blyton had once told her off when she was a little girl for being too noisy playing in the garden. Enid Blyton then wrote a little story about “Lucy Loud Voice” which appeared in Sunny Stories (April 28 1948). Lucy Nottingham was interviewed for the TV programme Secret Lives and wrote a short article for the Enid Blyton Journal.

Rob Houghton wrote:Personally I'd have been proud to have a story written about me by Enid Blyton, lol!!

I'd have been horrified to have been put into a story of that kind! Come to think of it, when I was about eight or nine I got shouted at by a neighbour for calling to my sister at the top of my voice across the garden. Another neighbour complained that my sister and I were singing too loudly while playing on our swings. Good job our neighbours weren't writers!

I'd love to have been put into a story where I caught crooks, found treasure or climbed the Faraway Tree and went to the Land of Birthdays!

I've got the 'Linda Loud-Voice' version of the story in The Enid Blyton Storybook, a 1989 WHSmith publication.

Anita Bensoussane wrote:

Rob Houghton wrote:Personally I'd have been proud to have a story written about me by Enid Blyton, lol!!

I'd have been horrified to have been put into a story of that kind!
I'd love to have been put into a story where I caught crooks, found treasure or climbed the Faraway Tree and went to the Land of Birthdays!

I've got the 'Linda Loud-Voice' version of the story in The Enid Blyton Storybook, a 1989 WHSmith publication.

Yes, you're probably right - I'd have preferred to be in a nice jolly story where I was the hero!

I also have the story in the WHSmith Enid Blyton Story Book.

I'm afraid that I don't have it as a Word File or I would have copied and pasted it, but the whole incident is explained in detail by Lucy Nottingham herself on page 36 of Journal 8.

Thanks Tony - I couldn't remember what Journal it was.

Happily I have that Journal and just read the article, which I'd forgotten about. It was quite an eye opener actually. Having Enid as a neighbour wasn't really what one expected her to be like, quite the opposite as how I would have imagined Enid to be.

With Tony's permission,I have scanned the excellent Journal article and added it to the Sunny Stories excerpt about Lucy Loud Voice.
The interview is at the end of this link:

Lucy Loud Voice - Including rare Enid Blyton Magazine Interview:

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Thanks for the link, Pete. I was about to go and sort out my Journal Number 8 - but it was useful to see the story and the Journal article together.

I was interested to learn that another of my favourite childhood authors, Alison Uttley, lived in Beaconsfield at the same time as Enid. I collect the hardback versions of the 'Little Grey Rabbit' library and have always loved the books.

As I was a reader of Sunny Stories in 1948, I guess I read the story then. It was good to read it now, and also the article from Journal 8. I started getting the Journals about 2 years later. Thanks Pete.

Thanks, Pete! It's interesting to be reminded of the details.

Another really good reason for subscribing to the Journal for anyone reading this thread who isn't currently a subscriber.

It's hard to think of anything that gives more value for money than The Enid Blyton Society Journal.
The hard work that Tony puts into producing it and the informative content must make it one of the best bargains of the twenty first century!

Any lurkers/non subscribers click here if you would like to take the plunge and subscribe:

Subscribe:

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