Enid Blyton Coin Rejected by Royal Mint

[Francis]

Pete
I see you are still as creative as ever!
Your picture reminded me of my new great grandson!

[Francis]

Daisy
Interested that you were in Rye Harbour (not literally I hope!) recently - I was in Rye a few weeks ago and am just reading The Gay Dolphin Adventure set all around that area. Fascinating insights as ever with Malcolm Saville.

[Rob Houghton]

It's lovely to see you here again, Francis - you've definitely been missed!

[Daisy]

Daisy
Interested that you were in Rye Harbour (not literally I hope!) recently - I was in Rye a few weeks ago and am just reading The Gay Dolphin Adventure set all around that area. Fascinating insights as ever with Malcolm Saville.

Yes Francis, I always enjoy a visit to Rye and Rye Harbour for their literary associations and recently read the Gay Dolphin Adventure for the umpteenth time.

[Francis]

With regard to Roald Dahl, he seems a confirmed racist and abrasive with it but as others had said we should still read his books and certainly not ban or alter them. He certainly persisted in his unpleasant views and comments into quite recent times and certainly should have no better considering the appalling Holocaust which he certainly knew about. Makes you wonder about his values though (his books do contain an element of cruelty quite different from Enid's works).

[Francis]

Enid' sense of location is less developed especially with specifics - quite unlike Saville but they both work in their own way. Glad you like reading Malcolm Saville - I have only just started reading his books. Of course he was born and died in Hastings (where I lived for quite a few years) and lived for a while in Wichelsea (he also lived very near me in Guildford) and his books on the Shropshire Hills were based in the area where I used to spend Summer holidays in my uncle's farm. Enid lived in the London suburbs and the Thames Valley most of her life.

[Francis]

Thanks Rob and Anita - great friends and great company too.

[Courtenay]

Dear Courtenay

I would love to see you at Alton dear Courtenay - I have a few extra books you might be interested in (all at a very cheap price!). Not sure if you interested in the 3 in 1 Famous Five annuals (full of photos of the first Famous Five television series) but I have a spare copy of all three annuals that were published. Also some other Enid Blyton books as well - we might be able to temp some other forumites to come!

Hello Francis,

No plans to be in Alton any time soon, unfortunately, but I will let you know when I can next fit it in!

Actually, a meet-up of forumites / EBS members in that area would be a great idea if others are interested (and if we set a definite date, I'd see if I could get that day off work) — I don't think there are any specific Enid Blyton attractions in the area, but Alton has two secondhand bookshops that are absolutely legendary and with good reason! Any possible takers?

(And for any fellow fans who are interested, I would be happy to take a party to neighbouring Chawton to visit the wonderful Jane Austen House Museum while we're at it. )

[Francis]

Dear Courtenay
Yes we will get there together sometime! I believe Jane Austen's house has a few extra items and of course the nearby church has Jane Austen's Mother's and sister's graves and the big house (which was owned by her brother, Edward) has a women writers library.

[timv]

I would definitely be interested in a meet-up at Alton , dependant on the dates. I can get there quite easily from the New Forest on Mondays-Saturdays, and use the second-hand bookshops there a few times a year. I know Chawton quite well and have been round the Jane Austen museum (about 15 mins walk from Alton centre), and have walked from there over the grounds of JA's brother's estate (Chawton Great House) to nearby Faringdon. There is now a women writers' archive at the Great House, which has seminars and is open by appointment.

[Katharine]

I'd also be very interested in a get together if someone is offering to organise it.

[Chrissie777]

An infuriated Viv has returned!
"Royal Mint BLOCKS Enid Blyton commemorative coin because bosses think she is a 'racist, sexist and a homophobe' and fear backlash"

Viv, that's so ridiculous. I doubt these people ever read an entire EB book in their lives!

[Chrissie777]

Nice to see they did quote a few writers sticking up for her, although I don't know about "Racist I can understand because of the Golliwog in Noddy"... well, we've all been through that discussion before, but I'm just stunned that someone who supposedly grew up on Blyton could make claims about "the Golliwog in Noddy" as if there was only one golliwog in the Noddy books and he was always the villain!!!

There are lots of so-called "racist" children's books if you read other children's books authors from the 1930's or 1940's. They were not even aware that they were racist. They are just a "mirror of their decade/time" I dare say.

[Francis]

Dear katharine and timv

It would be great to see you both (and of course any other forumites) in Alton and really it should not need a great deal of organising.

The best place to meet is at the railway station (the end of line for trains from London) which is a very few minutes walk from the first bookshop. After plenty of time in the bookshop we could walk down into the town and to the next bookshop. There are a few charity shops as well and then a short walk to a Wetherspoons pub which is quite a nice one. We could have lunch and social time together and then afterwards carry on towards Chawton to see Jane Austen's house and museum before returning through the town for the train home.

The best day for seeing the first and biggest bookshop (Joan's who is a very friendly lady) is Wednesday as she is always there on that day.

PS
Jane Austen's House is open every month apart from January.

I am away for a few weeks but from the middle of October I will be available.

[Francis]

Nice to see your name again Chrissie!