60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Discuss Blyton's magazines, short stories and poetry here.
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Daisy
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Daisy »

Very good points, Julie. I think we don't always realize just how lucky we are to have such a dedicated Chairman/secretary/treasurer, as we have in Tony, with Anita's assistance on the forum. Ours is by far the most attractive website I have seen.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

Julie2owlsdene wrote:I think I've mentioned this before, a society my hubby is in, is £30 a month, and the magazine is much thinner too, so the Journal is excellent value for money. And another thing to be considered is the society my hubby is in, they also have a few people running it. Secretary, chairman, vice chairman, etc etc, and Tony does it all himself, with the help of Anita on the forums.
You're right Julie. I don't really know of any other Societies which only cost £10 a year. I know I've also said similar things a few times in the past, but I just feel a little incredulous when people say they can't afford it. I guess I'm not living in the 'real world' - but its a shame if people stop buying the Journal because its £10.

Regards the threads, I, too, tend to count the views rather than the comments - and I see there are many more views each fortnight for this thread than comments - which at least means people are looking at it.

I wonder if it would be worth sending out a standard email/advertisement maybe once a month, to all people who are registered on the forums, suggesting they subscribe to the Journal and giving information about what you get for the £10? I'm sure there are people on here who still don't realise there's a Journal - or think it has something to do with 'earning points' on the forums!

I don't know why people don't view the Journal thread so much lately - I find that puzzling. I always read everyone's comments on there.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Julie2owlsdene
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

I think most read most of the threads, views will verify that, but not many have the time to sit and comment sometimes. I will comment when I can, but this doesn't mean I don't read this thread of some of the other threads.

Also some don't look at the Home Page, where it tells you about the Journal, and The Cave, and the Message Board. I look at the Home Page daily and look to see who has sent in a message.

I guess it's all a matter of spare time, and who can post etc. :)

8)
Julian gave an exclamation and nudged George.
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"

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Rob Houghton
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

That's why I thought an automatic email once a month or so, advertising the Journal, might be useful! We have the website, and in theory that should help with sales of the Journal. The only trouble is, its easy to bypass the main page (I rarely look at it) and go straight to the forums, so many people who don't check out the Journal thread might not even know there IS a Journal.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

But this would also mean more work for Tony, and I think Tony is trying to wind down a little with updates and putting things onto the site, which he mentioned in a post a short while back.

8)
Julian gave an exclamation and nudged George.
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"

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Rob Houghton
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

I'm sure there would be some way to generate an email automatically - but I'm no expert, lol!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by John Pickup »

Tony mentioned a short while ago that only 5-10% of society members (journal subscribers) are registered on the forums. That probably answers the question why there aren't more comments made. What I can't understand is the amount of people who register for the forum who then never post or show any inclination to join the society.
As for people who insist they can't afford to join, I find that incredible. It's 20p a week!
I must agree with Nigel though about the issue of time. I still work 18-24 hours a week part time as a hospital porter, my son and his family live over 40 miles away and my elderly mother lives in a care home. This, combined with my other interests means I don't have the time to comment on every topic but I do try to support the journal thread and also Rob's excellent thread on the magazine.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

John Pickup wrote:I must agree with Nigel though about the issue of time. I still work 18-24 hours a week part time as a hospital porter, my son and his family live over 40 miles away and my elderly mother lives in a care home. This, combined with my other interests means I don't have the time to comment on every topic but I do try to support the journal thread and also Rob's excellent thread on the magazine.
You definitely do, John - as do many others - much appreciated.

There has to be some way of advertising the Journal amongst forum members, surely? I know that IceMaiden was one person who didn't even know there was a Journal - and that must follow for a few others too!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Courtenay »

Rob Houghton wrote: There has to be some way of advertising the Journal amongst forum members, surely? I know that IceMaiden was one person who didn't even know there was a Journal - and that must follow for a few others too!
Well, I distinctly recall — and I've just gone back to my first-ever thread in the "introduce yourself" forum to confirm it — I'd only been a forum member a few hours when I had the following replies from certain eminent members:
John Pickup wrote:Hello, Courtenay. Once you've settled in you might consider joining the society.
Julie2owlsdene wrote:Welcome to the forums, Courtenay. As John said, do consider joining the Society too, you get a Journal three times a year, and access to the secret passages on this site, which are full of useful information about Enid and lots of photos too.
So I went ahead and joined on the spot. :wink: Good advertising all round.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Carlotta King »

Regarding the cheapness of the journal, yes 20p a week is not much, but it's not a weekly subscription, it's £10 in a lump sum.

20p a week may well be affordable and easy to find for most, but there's a big difference between having a spare 20p and a spare £10. :roll:

I don't have £10 spare, as unbelievable as that might seem. I don't splash out on any luxuries such as drink or cigarettes or treats, I don't have anything fancy like Sky TV or a pay-monthly mobile phone contract.
I've got a water bill of almost £2000 that I'm paying off in installments, because I got in a mess due to not having much spare cash and ran up a huge bill that I couldn't pay.
I've also got a large vet's bill that I'm paying off.
So no, I don't have £10.

So yes when its broken down into weekly amounts, 20p sounds great and it is, but to afford the £10 I would have to save up the 20p every week so technically I would have to start saving a year in advance, such as if I started putting 20p a week aside in January this year, I'd have the £10 ready to use by January next year.

This probably sounds unbelievable and over the top to most people here and people who have the luxury of spare cash at their disposal and think nothing of trips out and treats, and I'm well aware that my situation isn't 'the norm' for most people, but there are genuinely some people who can't afford £10 and don't have it spare in a lump. £10 is a lot of money when you're really struggling.

Im not having a go at anyone, I'm just pointing out that although it seems unreal, there are people who really don't have £10, and the things that are considered normal everyday items like drink, fags, phone contracts, etc, are real luxuries to some people, and are unaffordable.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

Very good post, Carlotta - and of course, I was talking generally - as I said, I'm sure there are some people who can't genuinely afford the £10 a year, but there are others who go on holidays and probably have days out and have good jobs who say £10 is a lot - those are the types I was really puzzled about!

I never go on holiday - haven't for years - I hardly have a day out, very occasionally go to the theatre. I don't work full time, only the occasional job as an 'extra' on the BBC programme 'Doctors' and selling a few books on eBay. I'm lucky that I live with my dad, and I have some savings, but I certainly don't live to the standard many people do. I do realise I'm lucky at the moment though, and have some spare money to buy books and DVDs and Journal subscriptions. These are my only real pleasures most of the time.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Carlotta King
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Carlotta King »

Thanks Rob, I know you understand what I mean. :) I remember you and I discussed this before about how frugally we both live compared to what is considered normal these days.

I know you were speaking generally about people. :)

I know I always go on about money when the subscription issue comes up but it's only because its a subject close to my heart, haha!
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

I'm beginning to feel a little uncomfortable about all this talk of the Journal. We know it's good value and we all point new members of the forum towards the Journal, as I have done, and as Courtenay has shown. But I think we should leave it at that. To make someone, such as Cathy, feel she has to justify why she can't afford the Journal isn't really very Blyton as it were. People's finances are their own, and shouldn't really be questioned in my opinion. If a new comer wants to subscribe, then great, they're in for a treat 3 times a year. But if they don't, then they don't and that should be it.

I wouldn't like people to feel that 'we' the Society are pushing and what seems to be coming across of being over pushy to the point of being forceful, about the Journal. Now if that's the wrong word to use, I apologise, but it seems to be getting that way sometimes.

And any new reader of the forums, may just think that. Remember the forums are the hopeful joiner to the Journal, and we don't want to put any new members off as coming across as being too pushy!

Sorry but that's just my opinion, and if the admin don't like my posting, then do feel free to delete. I just wanted to put this over, as I feel most uncomfortable about the whole thing, now that Cathy feels she's had to justify her own reasons.

8)
Julian gave an exclamation and nudged George.
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"

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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Daisy »

Hear, hear, Julie. Well said.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by sixret »

I agree. Very well said, Julie! :D
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Learn the history. Do research.

The hypocrisy, double standard, prejudice and bigotry own by some people is so obvious.Shame on them!
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