Enid's 16th birthday book of poems?

[pete9012S]

Did Enid keep this book of poems from her mother?
Is the picture above the actual book?
Does anyone know the title of the book/publisher etc?
What happened to Enid's copy of this book?

Regards

Pete

[John Pickup]

It's quite a while since I read Barbara Stoney's biography so I can't remember if the gift is mentioned in it. I assume if Enid kept the book, one of her daughters would have inherited it.

[pete9012S]

Thanks John. I can't find reference to this gift in the biography - but I could easily be wrong!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Tell Me About Writers - Enid Blyton was written by Enid's elder daughter Gillian Baverstock so it's possible that Gillian had the actual book in her possession, though she died in 2007.

Is that an entwined A and T on the cover? Alfred Tennyson, perhaps? Like others, I'm afraid I don't remember whether Barbara Stoney mentions the book in Enid Blyton - the Biography.

[pete9012S]

Thanks Anita.

I have searched through my kindle and pdf copy of the Barbara Stoney biography but have drawn a blank.
Time for someone more knowledgeable than me to solve this one I think!!

There is no mention of the gift of the poetry book in Gillian's other book, Gillian Baverstock Remembers Enid Blyton either.

Imogen does not mention the gift in her book as well.

[pete9012S]

This is the book shown in Gillian's book.

Could this be the one?





https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164684080006 ... olid=10001" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anita Bensoussane]

It does look like it, Pete! Seems my hunch about the entwined A and T standing for Alfred Tennyson was correct!

[John Pickup]

I agree. Studying the spine of the book and the entwined A and T, they are remarkably similar. Are you making a bid, Pete?

[Aussie Sue]

Pete, Anita and everyone who is interested in this topic:

You may be interested to know that, in my 'Enid Blyton Collection' I have the 'Poems of Tennyson' book that was owned by Enid. There is an inscription inside which says "To dear Enid on her 16th Birthday from her loving Mother.

I have several more of her childhood books too. Some of them are presentation's from school. They are all well read, but still in good condition. She obviously treasured them to have kept them all her life. I still have my school presentation books and treasure them and still read them too.

Her love of poetry & writing poetry obviously stems from her love of these book. One of her books is 'The Poetry of Earth' A Nature Anthology, which has been well read but what is more exciting is she actually wrote her poem 'The Poet' in the back cover of this book (with some alterations) and 'My Captain' with many alterations to make it perfect. 'The Poet' was published in the Poetry of Today magazine in January 1919.

Enid Blyton had a huge impact on my tricky childhood and so my passion for my collection never wanes.

My wonderful husband of 56years (who always supported my Enid Blyton passion) passed away on 2nd January this year so I am spending even more time in my bookroom.

[Katharine]

It's great to know that some of Enid's books are in the hands of one of her fans.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your husband.

[pete9012S]

Sue, thank you very much indeed for your most informative post. I was very touched to read that Enid did indeed keep the poetry book all her life and also that you actually own the book.

I would like to get my own copy - there are a few on ebay here in the UK to chose from in various conditions.

So sorry to hear about the loss of your dear husband Sue.
I am glad to hear you are getting enjoyment from your books.

To me, my books, especially ones that have been bought for me over the years by loved ones are like old friends that bring comfort, joy and warmth whenever I open their pages.

Anita's detective work helped me to identify this book that was a gift from her mother on her 16th birthday and I was not really expecting anyone to know its current whereabouts, so many thanks indeed for all the information about the book Sue, and also the other titles that Enid owned and enjoyed throughout her life.

Best Wishes

Pete

[Anita Bensoussane]

I'm sorry to hear of the recent loss of your husband, Sue. I hope that spending time in your bookroom brings some comfort.

It's lovely that you have some of Enid Blyton's childhood books in your collection, including Poems of Tennyson. It must feel really special to look through a book which was cherished by Enid and which had an impact on her developing mind.

I've read 'The Poet' in Barbara Stoney's book but I can't remember if I've ever come across 'My Captain'. The title makes me think of Walt Whitman!

I don't know whether you have Enid's copy of Arthur Mee's Letters to Girls, Sue, but I've long been intrigued by Barbara Stoney's comment that "She [Enid Blyton] always enjoyed books by this writer [Arthur Mee] and his influence on her thought as she became older is apparent from the many pencilled observations and underlinings, made in her teens, throughout a copy of his Letters to Girls."

[Courtenay]

That's wonderful that you have Enid's actual 16th birthday book of poems, Sue!

I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your husband. I also hope your books will continue to bring you comfort and enjoyment.

[John Pickup]

It's wonderful to hear the book survived but I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your husband, Sue.
How lovely to know that a book received by Enid as a gift is now part of a collection owned by someone who has always loved Enid's work.

[Tony Summerfield]

I am so sorry to hear about your husband's death, Sue.

I had actually intended to reply to this thread last night but I got sidetracked and then decided to sleep on it. I just wanted to say that when I went to visit Gillian at her house in Ilkley she showed me a huge glass fronted bookcase which was full of books that Enid had owned, which now belonged to her. None of these was an Enid Blyton book as the only ones that Gillian owned she had bought like the rest of us as all the EB books belonged to the company and they were in the archive at Darrell Waters in London, although I am sure that one or two went walkabout in various directions!

I assumed that most of those books in the glass bookcase were sold in the auction of Gillian's things and I am delighted to hear that you bought some of them Sue.