ENID, 1924

[Green Hedges]

Here is Enid's diary for May, 1924. The month where her impending wedding makes her mark out her personal space - the space that she's about to give up in exchange for married life - in her From My Window essays: http://www.enidblyton.me.uk/styled-37/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Duncan

[pete9012S]

Most enjoyable Duncan - thank you very much indeed.

[timv]

Thanks a lot, Duncan - most interesting. The 4 May 1924 entry in the Diary is important for what it tells us about the inspiration for the setting of 'Five Go To Smugglers Top', written around 20 years later - ie that Enid had been to Rye, which resembles 'Castaway' closely, well before writing this. I guessed that Enid might have used the famous nearby Rye Golf Course at Camber pre-1940 (when it was turned into an anti-invasion military centre) given her golfing, but this shows she had at least driven through Rye. Due to the layout of the town's roads, if you approach from the North (the most direct route from Beckenham) you have to drive to Camber via a junction at the foot of Rye hill that is within sight of the Landgate medieval entrance to the town - so Enid had seen a gate resembling the archway entrance to 'Castaway'.

The view NW to Rye on its hill from the road over the (drained) marsh to Camber is also very like that of Castaway from the marsh in the book. (There is also a 'tower at the highest point of the town overlooking the marsh' as in the book - in fact two, the Ypres Tower and the church tower.) Even if Enid had not been to Rye since 1924, this shows she had a 'picture' of it in her subconscious ready to use for the book. Therefore Enid did not have to rely on Malcolm Saville for details of the town.

[Green Hedges]

Good point, timv. I'll add something to that effect a bit later.

For now, here is Enid's diary plus for June, 1924: http://www.enidblyton.me.uk/styled-38/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Duncan

[pete9012S]

As usual most interesting - thanks for sharing Duncan.

[Aussie Sue]

Yes, thank you Duncan for sharing the information in Enid's diary as I have no chance of going to Seven Stories to see it.
Reading what she personally wrote in her diary is wonderful. So much has been written about Enid based on what people think she did or said or would have done etc. This is what she really thinks and said.

I really look forward the next month.

cheers
Sue

[Green Hedges]

Thanks Pete and Sue.

July 1924 is another intense month for Enid. She's about to get married but see what happens when Hugh and her try and fly kites on a beach while on holiday together!

That's just one bright jewel! Her month's diary feeds into all five of her From My Window essays.

http://www.enidblyton.me.uk/styled-39/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck to you all,
Duncan

[Kate Mary]

I'm really enjoying this, especially as it gives me the opportunity to read the From My Window columns that aren't in the Cave. Thank you very much Duncan.

[pete9012S]

Again, thank you for the latest instalment Duncan. Your hard work is appreciated.

Regards

Pete

[Green Hedges]

Here's Enid's diary for August 1924, the month she got married. Not a lot of diary but From My Windows to die for!
http://www.enidblyton.me.uk/styled-40/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Duncan

[Kate Mary]

Thanks again Duncan, I'm still catching up with July at the moment and I was interested to see you mention Fairy Tales from Far Away by Marie Bayne. My mother was given this book as a Sunday School prize in 1931 so it must have been reprinted, probably several times. I treasure it as it was the only book my mother owned as a child.

[Green Hedges]

This essay completes my report of Enid's 1924 diary. http://www.enidblyton.me.uk/styled-41/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is a more concise version, with fewer pics, than an earlier version that can be found beside it. Looking at them both today, a few months after having written them, I don't think one is necessarily better than the other. But if you read both you'll have to put up with some repetition, so sorry about that.

All best,
Duncan

[pete9012S]

Just read that and really enjoyed it - so thanks again Duncan for all the research and sharing it with us.

Regards

Pete