The Enid Blyton Society

So, Philip Larkin is to get a memorial in Westminster Abbey.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33148295" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd like to see Enid Blyton there too. How about campaigning for a memorial to be unveiled in 2018 on the 50th anniversary of her death?

Best wishes

Viv

What a wonderful idea, Viv. I agree.

I was going to say I wouldn't know Philip Larkin from a bar of soap, until I read the reference to "his famous musings on 'your mum and dad'"... oh yeah, that one.

The article reports this:

The posthumous publication of Larkin's letters gave an often unflattering insight into his inner life and led to accusations of racism and misogyny.

Well, if he can have "accusations of racism and misogyny" (and swear words in poems) and still be honoured with a memorial in Westminster Abbey, I should say Enid is in with a chance!

Seriously, though, it's a great idea, Viv - I'd be delighted to support the campaign. Where do we start?

Courtenay wrote: Where do we start?

Take a look at who is there already (tick the Poet's Corner button on the left)
http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-hi ... ous-people" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


I believe that this is the gentleman we need to convince!

"The decision to honour him was made by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr John Hall."


We need to make a list of all the reasons why we think Enid Blyton is worthy of such an honour.

My reason is that I believe that she has got more children to read for pleasure than any other author.

Viv

Viv of Ginger Pop wrote: Take a look at who is there already (tick the Poet's Corner button on the left)
http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-hi ... ous-people" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hmmm, some good company! Can't see any children's authors there, but there's a first time for everything.

My reason would be that no other children's author has had such a huge output of writing, over such a great diversity of genres, aimed at such a wide range of age groups (and for both girls and boys equally), with a writing style that has remained consistently popular and enjoyable for so many decades and for some four generations of readers. Whew!!

I'd never read anything by Philip Larkin, so I had a quick Google and read 'This Be the Verse' - I wish I hadn't bothered.

How on earth can someone who wrote such something like that be honoured in a church of all places? What is the world coming to?

If that's considered the kind of poetry to be honoured and held in high esteem, then I'll be happy to spend the rest of my days being uneducated, and continue to enjoy Noddy's little jingles.

Katharine wrote:I'd never read anything by Philip Larkin, so I had a quick Google and read 'This Be the Verse' - I wish I hadn't bothered.

How on earth can someone who wrote such something like that be honoured in a church of all places? What is the world coming to?

Totally agree, Katharine, and some of the things he wrote in private are perhaps less openly obscene but even worse: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_La ... reputation" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But I'd rather stick to talking about Enid!!

Didn't Fatty once disguise himself as Larkin?

I think Viv and Courtenay have given good reasons for honouring Enid Blyton in Poets' Corner.

I think she should be honoured because, through her writing, she encouraged millions of children to read, thereby stimulating their minds, improving their vocabulary and fostering goodwill to other living things.

The more I think about it, the more I think Enid Blyton would be much more suitable than Philip Larkin. Many of her stories contained a strong moral/religious tone. I know I've only read the one poem by Philip Larkin, but to me that went against the teaching of the church.

many of Philip Larkin's poems could be considered pornographic in my opinion. We studied him in A Level English Literature and I always disliked his work. Enid would be a brilliant choice.

I've taken a look at some of Larkin's work. I wish I hadn't bothered. I don't see why he should be honoured in a church.

Robert Houghton wrote:many of Philip Larkin's poems could be considered pornographic in my opinion.

Or just downright disgusting. The Wikipedia article I found earlier does talk about his taste for porn. I don't object to him having a memorial if people want it, but I completely agree that a church is not the right place for it.

Enid wasn't conventionally "religious", as we know, but her stories always put good morals and loving one's neighbour at the forefront, in ways that children can understand and relate to without feeling they're simply being preached at. I love her retellings of Bible stories, too, which she also does in ways that stress their moral content rather than mere religious doctrine. She certainly does deserve a memorial in a church, I'd say, for that alone.

Do we know if there already is a formal memorial to Enid somewhere? I can't think of one, but I've never visited any locations associated with her (except Corfe Castle and Swanage). And if there isn't, why not? Do you think we really could campaign for one?

I'm not sure. I seemed to remember seeing a bust of Enid Blyton somewhere and thought it was in the foyer of Knoll House Hotel, where Enid used to stay in Dorset, but can't find any evidence of this.

While looking around on the internet I came across this article from 2012 in which there were calls for an Enid Blyton statue in Beckenham -

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/broml ... Beckenham/

Personally I think it would be much nicer to have a statue of her somewhere like Swanage or Beaconsfield.

There's a blue plaque on a house in Chaffinch Road in Beckenham in Kent, where Enid lived as a little girl. I went on a walking tour of her houses two years ago, but can't remember if any of the other houses had plaques on or not.

The model village of Beckonscot has a replica of Green Hedges in it.

Not memorials as such, but visible signs of an Enid Blyton connection.

Maybe I should campaign for something here in Ipswich to recognise her teacher training days at the High School?