Was Enid Blyton a friend of other authors?

[Belly]

Just got my copy of: Alison Uttley: The Life of a Country Child by Denis Judd out.

It states: Alison 'felt a particular rivalry towards certain women authors of children's books...She was to develop a positive dislike of Enid Blyton, whom she met during her Beaconsfield years'.

'Alison was also fiercely competitive on the commercial front, finding Enid Blyton's huge sales particulary galling. Her antagonism towards her was compounded by the fact they both lived in Beaconsfield.'

'The first hint of any rivalry occured in May 1941'. Alison sent an emissary to the local W.H. Smith's trying to get them to stock Alison's books. They refused as they said there was no demand for them.

To quote again from the book a man at Smith's said: 'Now if it was Miss Enid Blyton's books! They sell marvellously. Do you know her? She is a charming woman'.


He then showed a picture of her. Alison's emissary thought she looked 'rather harassed' and it was 'an awful picture of a vulgar curled woman'. (Charming)!

Alison apparently asked Enid which books she wrote and Enid retorted 'Look in Smith's Window' then turned away and didn't speak again.

Alison later asked Enid to a lunch party and tried to be polite to Enid. She said:

'I know you wrote a book about a horse, but what else have you written? Enid Blyton drew herself up and replied frostily 'Smith's window is full of my books. You can see a few titles if you care to look'.

Alison had mixed her up with Enid Bagnold who wrote National Velvet!

She was again apparently introduced to Enid Blyton in a queue at the fishmongers in Beaconsfield. This is how Alison described Enid:

'At Wilkinsons I was watching a woman ogling (the fishmonger), her false teeth, her red lips, her head on one side as she gazed up close to him..The Blyton photographed and boastful'.

The books says all the following were living in Beaconsfield at the same time as Enid Blyton:

G.K. Chesterton
G.L. Garvin - Editor of the Observer
Walter de la Mare (close friend of Alison Uttley)
Angela Thirkell
Critic, S.B.P. Mais

[Kate Mary]

Thank you, Belly, for checking the Blyton/Uttley story. I hoped I had remembered it correctly. I read the Denis Judd biography when it was first published (it must be twenty years ago) and enjoyed it very much, it was a shame that Alison was so nasty about Enid. I guess that she was jealous of Enid's fame and the amount of her sales. I still like Alison's books especially "A Country Child" and I see that "A Traveller in Time" has just been reprinted by Jane Nissen Books.

Kate.

[Belly]

I recently re-read Traveller in Time and thought it brilliant. Alison Uttley paints a realistic picture of Elizabethan England. I also remember the 1970s TV adaptation especially the part where Greensleeves was played. In fact I have only recently tallied this to 'Traveller in Time'.

Denis Judd is a brilliant biographer, he writes exceptionally well and we really get a great insight into all Alison was about. She appears to have had a very complicated relationship with the men in her life, both her son and husband committing suicide.

She had a very close early relationship with her father who taught her a great deal about nature and the countryside (echoes of Enid Blyton). I think Alison Uttley was exceptionally gifted and like many gifted people a little flawed in some areas. It is a shame she didn't write more.

Judd describes her as: 'A curious mixture, hospitable and intellectually demanding, restless, always turning things over in her mind, enquiring and intuitive. For those lacking the appropriate intellectual muscle, she was an intimidating and disquieting hostess'.

Her house Thackers shares many similarities with Green Hedges, both looking similar (although I think Alison Uttley's was smaller) with large gardens. She had dogs and a blue bell wood which gave the house more of a feeling of a large mansion than moderate surburban villa.

This is another description of Alison Uttley that makes me think of Enid Blyton:

'She was rather an extraordinary person. You had to get used to the idea that here was somebody who really did believe in fairies..and she was also liable to talk at very short notice about things like dreams and ghosts...you had to get used to that to tune in with her feelings, her interests and sometimes it was a bit difficult to do that'.

And again the fact that 'the hard edge of her personality was often retracted when children visited her'.

Some girls that visited remembered 'a very lively person with bright sparkling eyes. She was so sympathetic and prepared nice teas'. They were also aware that she 'lived on a high wire and crammed a lot into every day'. She is also said to have had a high pitched voice and I think Enid Blyton also had a distinctive voice?

Alison Uttley and Enid Blyton both had good imagination and shrewd business heads. There are so many other parallels to my mind.

As for the jealousy I imagine it is a bit like some of the criticism J.K. Rowling receives today.



It's interesting Alison Uttley chose to move to Beaconsfield. She was a Peak District girl and this smacks of aspiration somehow (Interestingly she was quick to suggest Enid was aspirational). Alison was reluctant to move there and yet compelled to for no apparent reason. Beaconsfield appears like it was the place to be then. I suppose some would argue it is now. Close to London yet an attractive place to live.

[Kate Mary]

I agree, I think "A Traveller in Time" is the best time-slip novel that I have ever read, Alison's writing has a lovely poetic quality. You say that it is shame that she didn't write more, but she did write more than 100 books, as well as Little Grey Rabbit there are the Sam Pig and Little Red Fox stories, but I think she only wrote the one children's novel.
I like her country books best, "The Farm on the Hill", "Ambush of young days" , "Country Hoard" and others; she had the uncanny ability to remember the smallest details of her childhood and to express them in lovely lyrical prose. What a pity she isn't more widely read.
I'm glad you enjoyed you enjoyed the Denis Judd biography, I must track down a copy sometime and read it again.

Kate

[Belly]

Kate

I am very new to Alison Uttley. Actually I thought I was buying her Country Child book but ended up with a biography by mistake. I am glad I did!

I suppose I meant more 'children's novels' would have been good. Haven't ever come across Sam Pig etc. Although I think 'Grey Rabbit' might have been a favourite of my mother and aunt will have to ask them.

Would love to read 'A Country Hoard' etc and will go off to ebay to check. Thanks.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Interesting, Belly and Kate Mary. Yes, the "lovely poetic quality" of Alison Uttley's writing in A Traveller in Time enabled me to immerse myself very easily in the world of Thackers (or the two worlds of Thackers - Elizabethan and 1930s!) Personally it's not my best-loved time-slip novel as I was particularly touched by Philippa Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden , so that's my number one. I also loved When Marnie was There by Joan G. Robinson and Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer. Albeit wonderful in so many ways, especially the blending of the two worlds and all the little details, the ending of A Traveller in Time wasn't (to me) as satisfying as the endings of the other three time-travel novels I've mentioned. The others have a proper "conclusion" in which some of the questions that have haunted the reader are answered. A Traveller in Time lacks that, I think, and in my opinion it seemed to end somewhat abruptly, leaving me wanting more.

Anita

[Belly]

Hi Anita

Just to say according to 'the life of a country child' a sequel to 'a traveller in time' was planned. I agree with you re: favourite books and can't read 'Goodbye Mr Tom' without crying! Puddles in the Lane, Alan Parker & the Machine Gunners (can't remember) set in a similar time frame are also favourites. Penelope Lively's 'Whispering Knights' is also a great favourite which I plan to indoctrinate my children with when they are old enough

Also the Sara/Georgie time travel book I mentioned was I think 'The Amazing Mr Blunden' (or certainly that was the film - I have just cheated and googled)! From memory (the better book) had a different title?

Alison Uttley apparently drafted a sequel to A Traveller in Time in 1942 and sent it off to Faber. They quite liked it but nothing seemed to come from it. Later Faber apparently were keen to publish it later on but she didn't co-operate. Do you think a possible sequel was the reason for it seeming unfinished/some loose ends? I don't buy this somehow.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Hi Belly,

The title The Amazing Mr. Blunden does ring a bell so I must have heard it referred to somewhere, but I've never read or seen it.

I didn't know that Alison Uttley had drafted a sequel to A Traveller in Time! I wonder if the manuscript is still in existence? There was one part in the book where Francis said he wished he could visit Thackers in Penelope's time, so perhaps characters from the past got the chance to travel to Penelope's era in the sequel?

Anita

[Belly]

I wondered about the manuscript too - it might just exist somewhere. If not, there's a project for you!

I think you are spot on with the idea that she planned Francis etc came forward in time.

I recently read 'The Second Mrs De Winter' or I think it was that one - there are a couple of sequels to Rebecca. The one I read was convincing and excellent.

Rebecca and quite a bit of Du Maurier e.g. My Cousin Rachel are also favourites of mine.

Enid Blyton inspired me to read other authors! Just wished those marking my entrance exams to school circa 1981 had responded more favourably to my essay on 'The person I admire most'. I was on the back foot choosing Enid Blyton! Very short sighted of them I always think!!

[Kate Mary]

I must have forgotten about the sequel to "A Traveller in Time", I hope the manuscript surfaces sometime. Regarding 'The Amazing Mr Blunden', that is the title of the film, the book on which it was based is "The Ghosts" by Antonia Barber, although I think Puffin retitled it when the film came out, but it has now reverted to its original title.

I haven't read "Charlotte Sometimes" or "When Marnie was there", Anita, I must try them sometime. I did read Philippa Pearce's "Tom's Midnight Garden" when I was a child, but preferred her "Minnow on the Say", which is a treasure hunt adventure story which was probably more to Blyton-formed taste at the time.

Kate.

[Tweenid]

"The Amazing Mr Blunden" is one of my all-time favourite films-I treasure my copy on vhs.I have shown it to many adult friends over the years and every one has been charmed and fascinated by it.
Diana Dors is amazing as the old harridan!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Since A Traveller in Time has just been reprinted by Jane Nissen Books, they may have the contact details necessary to find out whether the manuscript of the sequel still exists. It might be worth asking them about it anyway, quoting the information that Denis Judd gives about the sequel.

You probably know this already, Kate and Belly, but the house called Thackers in the book is now a B&B owned by Simon Groom, who used to present Blue Peter:

http://www.bedandbreakfastnationwide.co ... phone=2074" target="_blank

Rebecca is a great book, Belly, and I like the old black-and-white film version too. I read Minnow on the Say for the first time a few months ago, Kate, and appreciated the slow unfolding of the story and the lyrical prose.

Anita

[Belly]

Hi Anita

Is that Simon Groom's farm as per 1970s Blue Peter episodes ?

I got all excited thinking Simon Groom had property in Beaconsfield for a moment as I forgot the house in Derbyshire was also called Thackers.

I didn't know this so thanks for letting me know. Maybe I'll have to go and stay!

Alison's house in Beaconsfield was also called 'Thackers' I'll have to try and track that one down too, wonder if the bluebell wood is still there?

Julia

[Anita Bensoussane]

Hi Julia,

I don't know whether Simon Groom lived on that farm in the 1970s.

Oooh yes - please let us know if you manage to track down Alison Uttley's house in Beaconsfield. Surely it ought to have a Blue Plaque?

Edit: According to the following website, Alison Uttley lived in Ellwood Road:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/cont ... ture.shtml" target="_blank

Anita

[Anita Bensoussane]

I also love her [Marion St. John Webb's] book for older girls, The Girls of Chequertrees - it was Children's Press-d in the 50s/60s, so it is quite easy to find, though there might be cuts in it - my copy is an earlier edition - a Harrap, I think. A guaranteed weepy re-read for me.

On your recommendation I tracked down a copy of The Girls of Chequertrees, Kitty, and found it a quietly compelling read, lightly creepy, with an interesting mixture of characters. I liked the capable, cheerful Pamela and loved the eccentric Mr. Sigglesthorne, who appeared to have stepped out of a Dickens novel! I wasn't completely convinced by the ending, but then Miss Crabingway is yet another eccentric character. Rather alarming that she repeatedly refers to herself as "elderly" when we're told that she is "about fifty years of age"! Anyway, thanks for the recommendation!

Anita