60 years ago this week...

[John Pickup]

Thanks for posting that, Rob. The waterproofed tent sounds like a good idea but I'd sooner have the Red Indian wigwam. As for the Secret Seven titles, I like most of them! Three Cheers, Look Out, Shock For, Go Ahead, Well Done, those punchy titles appealed to me as a child.

[Rob Houghton]

I like them too - but it's often difficult to know which title is from which story! Obviously Enid felt she needed help choosing others - wonder if the next Secret Seven story she wrote - 'Secret Seven Mystery' was a title suggested by one of her readers?

[Courtenay]

Thanks for sharing all that with us, Rob — fascinating to have a glimpse of what Enid was sharing with her young readers 60 years ago, fortnight by fortnight.

I suppose the fire story wouldn't be reprinted in our time because we don't have steam trains any more, except on heritage railways, and of course all Blyton stories republished today must be treated as if they're set in 2016... A little surprising, though, that it wasn't included in any of the early collections of short stories.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks for that, Rob. I've seen quite a few swifts and swallows in recent days - and a burnet moth the other week.

The waterproofed tent sounds like a good idea but I'd sooner have the Red Indian wigwam.

Same here!

Next, Enid tells us a sad true story about two of the children who sometimes stay in 'our little children's home' as she calls it. these two are Anne and Robin, whose mother is often ill and so as they have no one to look after them, they go to the children's home, and cling to each other whenever they can for fear of being separated. Enid is so good at telling these stories - really brings out the sadness of the situation - because the children are often to be seen clinging silently to each other, traumatised. Happily, they enjoy playing in the paddling pool, donated with money raised by her Magazine Club - and they seem to have now forgotten to be afraid! Instead, Enid has seen them laughing together, which is good to know! I wonder what became of these two, and if they went on to live happy and healthy lives...and also what happened to their poor mother.

Enid's tales of the children's home are poignant and it would indeed be interesting to know what happened to some of the boys and girls and their parents. I remember that one girl called Rosemary features regularly in Enid's accounts of life at the home, but most children were only there for a short time because of illness in the family or something like that.

Enid tells us lastly that since the last Secret Seven serial ended "I have had many letters from you asking when the next SS story will begin. Would you all like another Secret Seven? If so, send a card - and think of one or two good titles!"

Seems that Enid was running out of Secret Seven titles...which is quite obvious when one reads the titles she used!

Golly - I'd never have guessed that Enid had help thinking up the Secret Seven titles!

[Moonraker]

I suppose the fire story wouldn't be reprinted in our time because we don't have steam trains any more, except on heritage railways

In fact, steam-hauled trains run frequently on the national network as charter trips. There are several companies that organise them. Some of the tours can be viewed here.

[Courtenay]

Good point — I forgot about that (we do the same in Australia as well, incidentally). But I would still guess that modern editors would figure that steam trains weren't an everyday part of most children's lives today as they were in the past, so they'd probably rule out reprinting that story anyway.

[Moonraker]

Children in the Swanage/Corfe Castle area may think differently!

[Courtenay]

I should hope so too!

[Rob Houghton]

And along the Severn Valley Railway...

[Courtenay]

Yes, and indeed along the Puffing Billy Railway east of Melbourne in the Dandenong Ranges (I have cousins who used to live there when they were little). It's a spectacular area and quite a haunting sound to hear the little steam train's whistle echoing through the tall eucalypt forests — they're among the tallest trees in the world — but I guess if you grow up there, it's just part of one's everyday life.

(I might have to throw Puffing Billy in the mix if I ever do get around to writing an Enid Blyton-style continuation story set in Australia. No spook trains, though. )

[Rob Houghton]

I'm looking forward to your continuation story, Courtenay - although it sounds like it could run to several thousand pages!

Seriously though - hope you do find time to try writing one!

[Courtenay]

Might be a few years yet, Rob. I do have a full time paid job and plenty of other things to do!

[Rob Houghton]

That was what I was thinking!

[Rob Houghton]

It's that time of the fortnight again! The next Enid Blyton Magazine is due to arrive - and here it is -



Another bumper issue, but unusually, most of the stories have been reproduced elsewhere, except for one. The cover shows an illustration (uncredited - and again - what a shame, as the illustrations are all so good) from the story 'He Didn't Want An Adventure' - about a rather meek and bookish boy who inadvertently comes across a thrilling adventure in the woods! As always, it's well written, and extremely enjoyable - but I did wonder why Enid (unusually) used a set of names that could be confusing. There are four boys, called Jeff, James, Tom and Oliver. Two are twins...but not Jeff and James (which would have made more sense!) For a while I was getting confused about who was who. Anyone who wants to read this story can do so - if they happen to have The Butlin Beaver Annual Number 3.

In her editorial, Enid tells us how she has just recently returned from 'one of the counties I love best in the West Country - Dorset'. She describes how, on returning home, she always walks around the garden, looking at flowers that have bloomed, and seeing how everything in the garden is coming on. That made me smile, as this is exactly what my mom used to do when we came back off holiday. Everything always seems to have grown so much, even just after a week's break.

Enid tells us also that she's had some 'sad letters' from boys and girls abroad who can't buy the Magazine - but assures them all that they can have the magazine delivered to them. She tells the children not to worry - and directs them to the details at the foot of the page - a year's delivery and subscription to the EB Magazine costs 13/- no matter where in the world you live. A bargain, surely, for around 24 issues.

'Our Letters Page' has some interesting letters this week. I'm almost sure some of these were made up by the children who sent them in - some of them read like works of fiction! For example,Janine Pike, from Falmouth in Cornwall, who describes her stay in Northern Rhodesia -
"During my stay in Northern Rhodesia I often went out crocodile hunting with Daddy on Lake Bangweulu, which was near our house. It is a big lake, sixteen miles long. One day I went out on our homemade raft. I must have gone about 30 yards when I suddenly saw the nose of a crocodile approaching me. I knew its trick - it would swing its tail onto the raft and sweep me off. What a horrible thought! When the crocodile was about five yards away, I heard the hum of an engine. It was a boat, and as it came nearer it made such a loud noise that it frightened the crocodile away and I was saved. Some crocodiles measure up to 20 feet long. The natives cut off the tail, hang it up, and make it into soup when it is completely bad. I don't think I would like to taste it!"

After the letters page we have another short story - rather an interesting one. It's called 'A Jigsaw Lesson' and is uncollected. It's quite simple, all about a little boy who makes a jigsaw of England, cutting out all the counties with his fretsaw so that his sister can learn the placement of all the counties, because she is bottom of the class in geography. It's a charming story, especially when we get to the end and Enid explains - " I hope you are reading this story, Pam, because I have written it from the letter you sent me, telling me all about it. I thought other children might like to know how to be top in geography, too, when the counties of Britain have to be learnt! I hope some of them have a brother with a fretsaw outfit! Ben's idea really was a good one, wasn't it?" How wonderful to have Enid Blyton write a story about you! I'd have been very proud indeed!

Next - the Puzzle Page -

The Sunbeams prize puzzle -

You'll see me move across the sky,
When strong winds blow me quickly by,
I might bring rain, but I'm often dry,
Especially when I'm very high.

The Famous Five prize puzzle - find the hidden fruit -

a) Give me my cap, please.
b) She skated a figure eight.


Next, Some Things To look For - or hear - such as the yellowhammer - singing 'his perpetual song of "Little bit of bread and no cheese"


And the bat, flickering in and out of the trees in the evening, catching beetles and flies.

Next, a poem - one of Enid's well-known ones - Seaside Days

No shoes, no socks,
No shorts, no frocks,
Just a bathing suit so small
It's hardly there at all,
And a sun-hat when it's hot,
(Though, of course, we'd rather not!)

Blue sea, blue sky,
And a breeze that hurries by,
Little waves in twinkling rows
That run to curl round dancing toes,
Big waves that crash and break -
Run away, for goodness sake!

Wooden spades, tin pails,
Shrimping nets for catching whales,
Sand in toes and clothes and hair,
In the bed and everywhere!
Oh, it's fun beside the sea
For Gillian, Imogen - and me!


Next we have 'Club News' - with details on how to get the EB Magazine badge - by sending an enrolment form with a 1 shilling postal order and a 2 and half d stamp. Funnily enough, I just missed out on buying an Enid Blyton Magazine club badge on eBay - it sold for only £1.50 - but I forgot to place a bid!

Next we have the strip story 'Noddy Went Too Fast!' - part of an ongoing Noddy strip. In this episode, Noddy sets up house with Tinny, a tin man who is having trouble finding himself a house!

Next - Five Go To Billycock Hill - chapter 6. How I would have loved to read a Famous Five for the first time as it slowly revealed itself fortnight by fortnight in the magazine!

After the regular painting competition (so many chances, in each Magazine, to win a signed Enid Blyton book! It's really surprising there aren't more signed books available for sale. Obviously people chose to keep them!

Next - a story about Mr Stamp-About - 'Stamp-About's Spell' - a story that made it's appearance in Enid Blyton's Bedtime Annual - 1971. Its a story very similar to others I've read - about a spell that requires items being used in it to be spelled as they go into the mixture. Of course, Stamp About hopes to copy the spell and thus magic up some gold for himself...but spells the words wrong, and so magics up a dictionary instead! A funny and entertaining tale!

Next we have a cut out 'game' - an empty room picture, with furniture to cut out and stick into place...quite novel. I wonder how many children did this? It would have been quite fiddly, as the furniture is very small for children to cut out!

Lastly - 'Our News Sheet' - and some very exciting news for Famous Five fans - Enid's first mention of the Famous Five film, which is about to be filmed. She explains in length about this, and it's interesting to see her view of it, and she sounds very enthusiastic about the locations chosen -

"Well, we have made our choice of the place where filming is to be done - we have chosen Kirrin island and the Castle and Kirrin Bay - exactly like the ones in the books, of course. We have found caves and tunnels to use - and now I am choosing the children who are to act as Julian, Dick, George and Anne - and looking out for a dog like Timmy. Very soon, filming will begin - but I am not going to tell you where it will be done, as we do not want the public crowding in to watch. It would be such a pity to take a beautiful shot of the Five on Kirrin Island - and then suddenly to find that two or three strange people's heads were in the picture, peeping around the castle wall to watch the filming! It would mean having to do that scene all over again, of course. So for the present I am keeping the whereabouts of Kirrin Castle a secret - though I have no doubt that those of you who live near the place will soon hear all about the filming! If so, be sure to keep well out of the way, won't you? I will let you know how we get on, of course. Won't it be fun to see the Famous Five film on at the cinema? "



On the back of the magazine - Sculptorcraft are advertising Noddy and Big Ears moulding sets - I think I'll send for one for Anita's birthday...

[Daisy]

Thanks Rob, that's lovely. Just as a point of interest - we had a wooden jigsaw with every county of England cut out to its correct shape when we were children and it was a very good teaching aid. I remember having it in the late 40s. Rutland was a very small piece!