Yes, Pete, it made me wonder about that as a child, too.pete9012S wrote:Did Enid think she could just slip 'Barnard' quietly and unnoticed into Famous Five book number seventeen? It freaked me out aged about nine - no friendly neighbourhood websites or forums back then to express my disquiet and unease!
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October 13, 2005 –
Emma says: In the first Famous Five book we are told that Aunt Fanny's family owned most/all of Kirrin. Yet George's last name is Kirrin... a bit odd this, because Quentin wouldn't have been called Kirrin unless he and Aunt Fanny are cousins or something!
Now we are also told that Aunt Fanny has lived in Kirrin all her life, but in one book George says that when her mother was living in a town, she always used to pickle her own food. Hmmmm.
Also, if Julian, Dick and Anne's father is Quentin's brother, they should be named Kirrin, but they are called Barnard in one book! Their father doesn't seem to know much about Kirrin either... strange, and you would have thought that the children would have said something about going to Kirrin Bay, if their last name was Kirrin...
Hmmmm... can we possibly solve the 'Uncle Quentin soil mechanics specialist' too please whilst we're investigating all things Kirrin?February 8, 2015 – Paul G. Joseph says: In Five go to Mystery Moor (Famous Five # 13), there is a line that says Quentin is a "soil mechanics" specialist. Being a soil mechanics specialist myself, I have often wondered if Quentin was modeled after a real person. Would anyone know? I do know from Barbara Stoney's biography of Enid Blyton that in 1919 she tutored the children of Horace Thomas a Architect and Land Surveyor. The house was called Southernhay on Hook Road, Surbiton. Would she have encountered a soil mechanics person here? Anyone know?
Thank you, Rob.Rob Houghton wrote:You can pretty much choose any surname - in Britain anyway. Traditionally, our surnames come from trades or places, so 'Farmer' or 'Miller' or 'Fisher' or 'Smith' etc - as well as places (my name Houghton is basically a place-name). But any name can be a surname and you can change your surname at will. You could become 'Blyton' if you chose to, as long as you registered it officially on documents etc.sixret wrote:I am not sure but is Kirrin a proper/usual surname? Can we create any name to be our surname? I have always thought of this. For example, Dan Spolington or Tisha Brickham or something. Could you differentiate between made-up surnames and the proper surnames?
This quote has me stumped - could it be from a short story or continuation navel?Now we are also told that Aunt Fanny has lived in Kirrin all her life, but in one book George says that when her mother was living in a town, she always used to pickle her own food.
Uncle Quentin was not a Kirrin in the first book, he became (wrongly) a Kirrin in FF 15 Secret Trail. I don't see any inconsistency in FF1, inconsistencies came later once EB started forgetting what she had previously written.Rob Houghton wrote:For me, the biggest inconsistency is actually in this first book, which doesn't seem to allow Enid the excuse that she was writing the series over a long period and so simply got mixed up!
Enid states that Uncle Quentin is the brother of Julian, Dick and Anne's father. Uncle Quentin is also a Kirrin. So therefore the Famous Five are called Kirrin. Then Enid tells us that the Kirrin land all belonged to george's mother, not George's father.
I'll have to wake George's father up!' thought the boy, desperately. 'I must talk to someone!'
He began to shake the sleeping man, wondering what to call him, for he did not know his surname. He couldn't call him 'George's father!' Then he remembered that the others called him Uncle Quentin, and he began yelling the name in the drugged man's ear.
'Uncle Quentin! Uncle Quentin! Wake up! Do wake up! Oh, won't you please wake up!'
Uncle Quentin stirred at last. He opened his eyes in the darkness, and listened to the urgent voice in his ear feeling faintly puzzled.
'Uncle Quentin! Wake up and speak to me.
Then the study door was flung open and Mr Kirrin came striding out, muttering to himself. He didn’t see the four children on the floor, and fell right over them.
Have you lost something? Never you mind, sir, I’ll come along and find it,’ said Joan, who was used to Mr Kirrin’s ways. ‘Pick up that map, you four - and put the table back.
He’s probably put a lot of his most precious papers into the waste-paper basket!’
Everyone laughed as Mrs Kirrin hurried into the study.
Aren't they? That surprises me too. Right from the start I have always assumed that was their surname.Rob Houghton wrote:I'm quite amazed that Julian, Dick and Anne aren't named as Kirrins until book 15! That has genuinely shocked me, lol! :_D
Therefore, as Uncle Quentin is the brother of Julian, Dick and Anne's father, they would have the same surname...so presumably neither were Kirrins until book 15. This would mean that originally only Aunt Fanny had been a Kirrin - until she married - but then Enid messed it all up in book 15.josepmcb wrote:Uncle Quentin was not a Kirrin in the first book, he became (wrongly) a Kirrin in FF 15 Secret Trail.
I thought along those lines - but was surprised to read that Quentin Kirrin was the one who had organised the whole Kirrin trip/stay with Mr lenoir!Daisy wrote:With regard to Sooty - he would know Julian and Dick were called Kirrin, but knowing George was a cousin, she may well have had another name - children don't usually go into details of how their friends are related to their aunts and uncles, so "Uncle Quentin" was the best idea for Sooty to come up with.
'Yes. Quite true. But what a name to give anyone -Sooty ' said Uncle Quentin. 'Well, I've been having quite a lot of correspondence with this boy's father. He and I are interested in the same scientific matters. In fact, I've asked him whether he wouldn't like to come and stay with me a few days - and bring his boy, Pierre.'
'Oh really!' said Dick, looking quite pleased. 'Well, it wouldn't be bad sport to have old Sooty here, Uncle. But he's quite mad. He never does as he's told, he climbs like a monkey, and he can be awfully cheeky. I don't know if you'd like him much.'
Uncle Quentin looked sorry he had asked Sooty after he had heard what Dick had to say.
Seems strange that Sooty was so in the dark about who Mr Kirrin was - unless his parents told him absolutely nothing!'No. I've a better idea than that,' said Uncle Quentin, fishing a letter out of his pocket. 'Much better. I've had a letter from that fellow Lenoir this morning - you know, the one who's interested in the same kind of experiments as I am. He says - er, wait a minute, I'll read you the bit. Yes, here it is.'
Uncle Quentin read it out: 'It is most kind of you to suggest my coming to stay with you and bringing my boy Pierre. Allow me to extend hospitality to you and your children also. I do not know how many you have, but all are welcome here in this big house. My Pierre will be glad of company, and so will his sister, Marybelle.'
Uncle Quentin looked up triumphantly at his wife. 'There you are! I call that a most generous invitation! It couldn't have come at a better time. We'll pack the whole of the children off to this fellow's house.'
'But Quentin - you can't possibly do that! Why, we don't know anything about him or his family!' said Aunt Fanny.
'His boy goes to the same school as Julian and Dick, and I know Lenoir is a remarkable, clever fellow,' said Uncle Quentin, as if that was all that really mattered. 'I'll telephone him now. What's his number?'
