The Enid Blyton Society

I just posted a link to the Telegraph article in the following thread:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... 903#p32903" target="_blank

Anita

Now there's a picture for a future Caption Competition! Seriously, another great Journal full of amazing articles. Am I alone in disliking the Contents Page? I like to read the Journal from cover to cover - but when I see Some thoughts on Films, Railways - and Enid's Stories listed, I just have to take a look! Incidentally, the picture of the Ring-master on page 3 looks spookily like the villain in last night's Torchwood!

Another great offering from Anita. It is ages since I last read The Family at Red-Roofs, and my appetite is now firmly whetted. By the way, did you swallow a dictionary, Anita? "Elements of assonance, alliteration and onomatopoeia...." - strewth, I must look that lot up! Maybe the intellect shown in Anita's writing is why I rarely put pen to paper!

Sheila's piece was fascinating, too. I must now get back to the rest of this wonderful publication.

Thanks Tony for another grand job.

Great Journal this time but pretty please can someone "translate" the second of the two references for me? I can't make head nor tail of it! Thanks.

I have got my subs ready to send off, Tony, but it might take me a while..........hopefully not long enough for you to have to send me a reminder!

Like Jen, I found it interesting to see Enid Blyton's two references in the original handwriting - neither of them very legibly written I agree! The one from R. A. Brandram appears to have been written on a piece of scrap paper, with an old address crossed out at the top left! Ah well - waste not, want not!

The Brandram reference reads:

Miss E. M. Blyton held a post on my staff from January to December 1919. During that period she had charge of my lowest form and took English subjects with the other forms also. She left me at her own desire to manage a small preparatory school elsewhere.

I was exceedingly sorry to lose her valuable assistance. She inspired her pupils with a real interest in whatever work they were engaged and consequently maintained discipline without any effort. Further, she was at great pains to instil into their minds high ideals of behaviour and manners, with eminently satisfactory results. To be able to lead small boys and to understand their ways is a gift given to few, but Miss Blyton has the secret.

I shall also(?) be pleased to answer any questions on her behalf.

I didn't have to go to any trouble to decipher it, because a transcript of most of it is given at the end of Chapter 2 of Barbara Stoney's Biography!

[Nigel:] By the way, did you swallow a dictionary, Anita? "Elements of assonance, alliteration and onomatopoeia...." - strewth, I must look that lot up!

Have you never watched Educating Rita, Nigel?! If you had, you'd know that "Assonance means getting the rhyme wrong!"

I thought that Mr. Galliano picture (editorial) was super. It made me think of Tony, running the show with great aplomb!

Anita

My copy of the Journal arrived today, a welcome sight on the doormat when I returned home tonight from a particulary arduous shift. Like Moonraker, I made a beeline for Some thoughts on Films, Railways - and Enid's Stories by John Henstock. (Does he post on this forum?) Anyway, John certainly knows his railways and has put his knowledge to good use throughout the article.

The rest of the Journal I shall savour with a fine ale when I next have a day off, good reading material must never be hurried.

Another smashing Journal, thank you Tony. I shall read it from cover to cover over the Easter weekend, but I have already enjoyed Gillian Baverstock's article from the 1940's and 'From my window'.

May I make a small request? In Journal 33 was No.1 of 'Enid Blyton's Stories from the Roaring Twenties' but none since. Please may we have some more in future issues?

Thanks,

Kate.

I enjoyed Sheila Ray's tribute to Gillian Baverstock - it's nice when someone has personal memories to share. I too "met" Gillian and Imogen in the pages of an Enid Blyton book (Bimbo and Topsy) before having the privilege many years later of meeting them in person, but Sheila Ray is of the same generation and had read snippets of information (however much embellished!) about Enid Blyton's daughters regularly in Sunny Stories, so that must have given her a sense of having grown up with them.

Gillian's article paints a very "sunny" picture of family life at Green Hedges, putting me in mind of Enid's own The Story of My Life. As well as the error already noted, aren't there a couple of words missing from the sentence beginning "The worst punishment she could give me..."?! (Not that I'm criticising Barney! ) I notice that Gillian refers to Kenneth as "Daddy" in her article - was that only for publicity purposes or did she and Imogen really call him that? In A Childhood at Green Hedges, Imogen says that Kenneth was first introduced to the girls as "Uncle Kenneth" but I suppose that might have changed later on?

A wonderfully whimsical "From My Window" article, which reminds me of my own riverside walks through the buttercup fields at Bourne End (though I think Enid and Hugh were living in London when she wrote that particular piece.)

Interesting that both John Lester and John Henstock mention the effectiveness of the bells in The Ring O' Bells Mystery. Enid Blyton does use sound effectively in her work and, in that book, the bells' urgent, discordant clanging contributes to the overall spookiness.

I had a laugh at the conversation between David Cook and Rob Canniff (Viking Star), about Margot Leadbetter or Hyacinth Bucket resembling Mrs. Hilton! I also laughed at Dennis T. Worley's (Lenoir's) remark about the pompous Peter in the Secret Seven "matching Mr. Goon as far as talking in capital letters is concerned"! Last time I read the Secret Seven books, a few years ago, I felt irritated at the constant bickering between the Seven and Susie (mainly in the later books in the series) and felt that it detracted from the story. I think I quite enjoyed all the commotion as a child, though!

Robert Houghton's excellent review of The Boy who Wanted a Dog makes me want to read the book again. I have it as a 2-in-1, with The Birthday Kitten, but I've only ever read it once. Interesting that, although it was one of Enid Blyton's last full-length novels, it has a more coherent storyline than the final FF and SS titles. The autobiographical elements add an extra dimension.

The Second World War photos (of stolen and hidden artwork and statues) accompanying Terry Gustafson's article really help put The Valley of Adventure into context. Perhaps it's because of the historical aspect that that novel seems so very real and haunting.

All in all, an excellent and varied Journal once again!

Anita

Julie2owlsdene wrote:Received mine today Tony, just read so far the article by Gillian Baverstock. What a lovely read that was. The love for her Mother just flowed from the written word. It was so enlightening. What a contrast to when I read Imogens book, A Childhood At Greenhedges.

Gillian does indeed paint an idyllic picture of home life, but she is also on record as saying that in this era it was perfectly normal for children to only be allowed to see their mother for an hour each day. I think that this is the sort of picture of home life that Enid wanted the world to see and I wonder to what extent she may have "helped" Gillian to write this article.

When you get two contrasting versions, one black and one white, you must remember that there are various shades of grey in between. Opinions from independent observers (staff, neighbours, family friends etc.) would seem to suggest that it was a fairly dark shade of grey.

Kate Mary wrote:May I make a small request? In Journal 33 was No.1 of 'Enid Blyton's Stories from the Roaring Twenties' but none since. Please may we have some more in future issues?

Thanks,

Kate.

Your request is duly noted, Kate, and I do intend to put in further stories in the future. I noticed your earlier request for 'Peak and Puke' and I can tell you that they are two naughty gnomes! My problem has been that the Journal is intended to have sixty pages, but over the past year we have averaged eighty - and as I have posted elsewhere actually made a financial loss in doing so. I am delighted I get sent a wide variety of articles (it means I don't have to write anything myself!), but it does of course mean that space is at a premium.

It is a healthy position to be in, and I remember poor Michael Rouse telling me that in the early days of Green Hedges Magazine he often had to write articles himself under various different pseudonyms in order to fill his 32 pages. I must count my blessings in having so many willing scribes!

Yes, Tony, as I mentioned before, I'd LOVE to see some more of Enid's 'adult' stories, as well as those from the 'Roaring twenties' When you have time and there's room, of course!

As I said earlier in this thread, the Journal is excellent this time around. If anyone on this forum still isnt a member (and why arent you?!!) then this is the perfect Journal to start with. It really does have something for everyone. I can't single any particular article out really, but Anita's are always brilliant and 'Red Roofs' is no exception. Also David Cook's article on the Find Outers and the article written by Gillian.

I would reccomend anyone who isnt a member to become on asap so they can receive Journal 35.

Thanks to Tony and everyone else for your hard work.

This was indeed an outstanding read. I thoroughly enjoyed Anita and Robert's articles as always and the articles on the FFO and The Secret Seven were excellent as well. Lenoir, I look forward to that promised article on the SS characters, I've just recently re-read the series for the first time in many years and was surprised to find that I enjoyed it far more than I did as a child.

I thought that Amber Gibney's article was very inspiring, not sure how much of it could ever come true but she certainly put up a great vision of the Society's future. Gillian Baverstock's article was very good to read although I could not help thinking that it was written with a certain agenda, ie; to make Enid look good. But it did illustrate just what a lovely lady Gillian was, I am very sorry I never got to meet her.

All in all its thanks yet again to Tony (and Barney ) for another sterling effort.

I got the lurgy

Have spent the day wrapped up warm, reading The Journal and nibbling medicinal Green & Black's chocolate.

Thanks to Tony and all the contributors for a ray of sunshine between the sneezes.

Viv

Thanks Anita

[Lucky Star:] I thought that Amber Gibney's article was very inspiring, not sure how much of it could ever come true but she certainly put up a great vision of the Society's future.

Yes, it would be great if Amber is correct in her statement that "An upsurge in literary themed events and the recent popularity of all things traditional are paving the way for a Blyton revival." I found it sad that, on talking to fellow students about Blyton, Amber found some who had missed out on reading Enid Blyton because people had told them she was a racist author.

Does Amber post on these Forums, I wonder?

Anita

Finished reading the journal now. Enjoyed it thoroughly, all the articles were first class. It's a long time since I read The Family at Red-Roofs, Anita, you're article has made me what to re-read this book.

It was interesting to read about the Secret Seven from Dennis, I'm currently buying and reading these books, as I've never read them before, and they do make an enjoyable read.

Loved the article by John Henstock. It's so true, with regards to the railways. My hubby is a keen steam railway enthusiast and when watching a programme where steam is included, often says, "that engine didn't run on those lines, etc,"

Brilliant read everyone.