Beach Hut

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I've just had a chap in the shop who said that as a boy Enid Blyton rented the beach hut next to the one his people had at Frinton-on-Sea.

He said that Gillian & Imogen would occasionally take refuge with them to get away from mother!

Viv

[Anita Bensoussane]

I've just had a chap in the shop who said that as a boy Enid Blyton rented the beach hut next to the one his people had at Frinton-on-Sea.

Enid Blyton used to be a boy?!

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

Viv

(I hadn't quite woken up - I wish I'd asked the date)

[Fiona1986]

Never noticed that myself! Well done eagle-eye Anita.

[zoemills]

LOL at the boy comment, and yes it is fascinating!

[Moonraker]

If indeed George Kirrin was modelled on Enid, then I imagine she (Enid) would easily have been mistaken as a boy!

[Lucky Star]

Well she was as good as a boy any day.

[black labrador]

I've just had a chap in the shop who said that as a boy Enid Blyton rented the beach hut next to the one his people had at Frinton-on-Sea.

He said that Gillian & Imogen would occasionally take refuge with them to get away from mother!

Viv

I thought Enid always holidayed in Dorset. Did he have any photos or other evidence to support this?

[Anita Bensoussane]

Enid Blyton often holidayed in Dorset, especially towards the end of her life, but not always. Other places she went to on holiday as an adult, mentioned in Barbara Stoney's Biography, include Scotland, Sussex, Jersey, the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall. She also went abroad three times.

[Enikyoga]

I've just had a chap in the shop who said that as a boy Enid Blyton rented the beach hut next to the one his people had at Frinton-on-Sea.

He said that Gillian & Imogen would occasionally take refuge with them to get away from mother!

Viv

If I am not mistaken, Viv's statement suggested that during boyhood days of this chap, Enid Blyton used to rent a beach hut next to the one his people had at Frinton-on-Sea. Maybe, Viv may have stumbled upon a very well-kept secret, for who knows, this chap could have been the inspiration for Alf/ and James the fisherboys in The Famous Five series just as that caddy driver or attendee was to be the storyteller in Five Have A Mystery to Solve. Maybe, should Viv run into this chap again, she should ask him his name and who knows, he could become as famous as the Famous Five themselves per se. Wonders never cease...!!!
Stephen I.

[Wayne Pyer]

With an imagination like that Stephen, you ought to write a book.

[Tony Summerfield]

Sorry to put a bit of a dampener on this exciting bit of news, but I have just spoken to Imogen and she told me that she has never been to Frinton-on-Sea at any stage in her life and she is also absolutely certain that Enid never went there either. So bye bye beach hut and bye bye inspiration for the 'fisherboys'!

[Moonraker]

Let's be grateful you came up with that update before Stephen wrote a chapter about it, Tony!

[Fiona1986]

I hope the gentleman in question was simply confused about the identities of two girls who perhaps he met on holiday a long time ago and was not lying for some (entirely unfathomable) reason.

[Lenoir]

With an imagination like that Stephen, you ought to write a book.

View the thread "The Famous Five: A Personal Anecdotage"