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

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

Post by Kate Mary »

Another issue has crept up on me, I thought we had one only last week, but I'm sure a fortnight between issues would have seemed like forever as a child. Interesting that Enid refers to boys and girls aged 15 to 20 in her editorial letter, you wouldn't be considered grown up until 21 back then. Thank you Rob for a most enjoyable review and for including the FF illustrations for comparison. And my thanks to Tony too as well.
"I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines." Oliver Goldsmith

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

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

'The Little Fawn' is very interesting indeed, Rob. It's funny that Enid Blyton doesn't name the country, which I also imagine must be the USA or Canada. I can't help thinking that the red jersey might have crippled the fawn's development as he grew, but if he'd continued wearing it maybe the jersey would have rotted and split and fallen off before it could do much damage.

The ending of 'What a Little Fisherman!' is guessable right from the start but it's a gentle, educational tale and I'd have enjoyed it as a child. I like the Noddy story too. Poor Bruiny.

Thanks as always to Rob and Tony for the write-up and scans.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks, both! :-D

Anita Bensoussane wrote: I like the Noddy story too.
:shock: :shock: Are you sure you're quite well, Anita? :wink:

Many thanks to Tony as always for the scans. :-D
'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 »

I enjoyed The Little Fawn and What A Fisherman, not the usual run of the mill short stories you expect from Enid. I suppose this was her wildlife issue! I found the three trees easily enough and the fruit puzzle was simple.
Really enjoy these fortnightly treats from the magazine, many thanks once again to Rob and Tony.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

Image

Another fortnight gone already - and here we are with the last but one Enid Blyton magazine of 1957!

This week we have two uncollected short stories to read - and you can read them by following the link below. The cover illustration is from the first of them, A Bit Of A Coward. Its a very touching story in some ways, and a very interesting read, even though, to be honest, not a lot happens. I think its definitely helped by the illustrations - by Alice Bush - who has a style not unlike Grace Lodge. I did find it a bit worrying that it involves a boy picking mushrooms in a field...I don't think I would have been confident to know what were mushrooms and what were toadstools, as a kid...but maybe country children would have been more in the know! I also wonder what happened to the men who were picking mushrooms...obviously they didn't appear again! :?

Enid's Editorial Letter this week is all about the Children's Home in Beaconsfield. Its interesting to hear more about it - and you can read it by following the link. :-)

PUZZLE PAGE

SUNBEAMS PUZZLE -

Here are some of the ingredients Mummy will put into her Christmas puddings this year. The letters are rather mixed up, can you sort them out?

LEEP PSIEC SGEG LUTSSNAA

#FAMOUS FIVE PUZZLE -

Jim had the same number of marbles as there are days in April. He had half as many red ones as green ones and two more yellow ones than red ones.

Can you find out how many marbles of each colour Jack had?


BUSY BEES PUZZLE -

What animal lost his gloves in the famous book 'Alice In Wonderland'?



The next story is You'd Better Be Careful, Stamp-About! - which can be read by finding a copy of Benny and the Giants and Other Stories, (Award 2003). Its a fun story - so I hope you can find some way to read it! :-D

next we have an advert which advertises Enid Blyton's bedside Books - the latest of which is Number Nine. Seeing them in this advert, it makes me wish I had a full set. Most of mine don't have wrappers. They seem very difficult to find with nice dust wrappers, and even without wrappers they are always quite expensive. Back in 1957 they were 7/6 each.

After the next instalment of Rumble and Chuff we have the next instalment of the Famous Five story Five Get Into A Fix - Chapter 11. Again, it contains an illustration not used in the book -

Image

The next story is a very short one, and reminded me of a 'Billy Bob' story or maybe 'Betsy May'. Enid suggests that older children should read it to their younger brothers and sisters. You can read it to. Which One Would You Have Been? I like the illustrations, and its interesting to see that the twins - one boy and one girl - are both depicted as wearing 'jeans' - or similar type trousers - and both with quite short hair - so its difficult to tell the boy from the girl.

A Puzzle For The Secret Seven follows with Chapter 4 - and has no illustration this week. I always have a sneaky feeling that Burgess Sharrocks wasn't very good at keeping to deadlines, lol... ;-)

A bit like me really! ;-)

Follow the link to read the letter and stories this issue - http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/maga ... ?magid=925
'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 pete9012S »

Most enjoyable - many thanks indeed Rob.
Obviously, it would be sensible to show Betty Maxey's depiction of said shepherd..

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" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

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

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Very interesting as usual. A good assortment of puzzles this week, always fun to do, and it's fascinating to hear all about the children's home in Beaconsfield with its Famous Five ward. I like what Enid Blyton says about readers who help with fund-raising - "Your money doesn't only buy clothes and toys and prams - it buys shining eyes, and laughter, and happiness."

I agree that A Bit of a Coward is a touching and enjoyable story, Rob, though 'Which One Would You Have Been?' hasn't got much to it even for very young readers.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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

Post by Eddie Muir »

A very enjoyable read. Thanks, Rob. :D
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

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

Post by pete9012S »

Yes, and thanks to Tony too for providing the new scans for this week's review.
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

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

Post by Rob Houghton »

Yes - thank you as always Tony! :-D
'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 Daisy »

Another enjoyable issue. Thanks Rob and Tony - not forgetting Pete's Maxey contribution!
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by John Pickup »

A Bit Of A Coward is a nice story and reminds me of when a friend and I went camping back in the mid-seventies. We were in the New Forest near Brockenhurst and one morning, my friend Steve picked some mushrooms and fried them on a little primus stove. I refused to eat any because I was frightened of them being toadstools and getting food poisoning. Thankfully, they were mushrooms.
Thanks to Rob and Tony for another excellent review.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Kate Mary »

Interesting as always to read these stories, thank you. A Bit of a Coward struck me as a bit of propaganda for Enid's charities with the message 'don't just join - do something to help', not a bad message for children I suppose.
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Re: 60 Years Ago This Week - Enid Blyton's Magazine 1957 -

Post by Rob Houghton »

So here we are with the last Enid Blyton magazine of 1957 - number 26, Vol 5 -

Image

The Christmas issue, with some Christmas stories, and all the usual good stuff to enjoy.

Unusually, the first story isn't depicted on the cover - instead, a rather odd 'Christmas' design is illustrated. I'm not really a fan of it!

So we begin with Enid's Editorial Letter - which can be read by following the link below. Enid tells us about some prize winners for a couple of competitions - one of which is the 'Sculptorcraft' competition. The winner is mentioned, as well as a photo of the winning model, which I've photographed from the magazine, below -

Image

There are also details about where the Famous Five cinema serial is playing next...still not in Birmingham! I'm disappointed!

The first story in this Christmas issue is Mr Pink-Whistle and Santa Claus - a lovely simple story about Mr pink-Whistle and Sooty his cat helping Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. If you happen to have the new compilation of Christmas stories, "Christmas Treats" - then you'll be able to read the story there. It also features in Mr pink-Whistle#s Big book and a couple of other collections too.

Following on from Mr Pink-Whistle, we have the next chapter of A Puzzle For the Secret Seven - chapter 5 - 'All Kinds of Plans!' - complete with this illustration, which doesn't feature in the book -

Image

the next story can be read in The Cave, as it's not one of the collected stories. Noddy's Ballons is a jolly little story - a typical Noddy story - and you can guess what happens when Noddy delivers some balloons for Big Ears' party...but its all very entertaining! :D

Our Letter Page features an interesting letter from Denise Richey, who lives in Melbourne, Australia. She writes -

Dear Miss Blyton, I hope this letter reaches you. I have always read your books and they make me very happy. I live in the heart of the city of Melbourne. We live in the sky, in a Pent House, 14 storeys high, and early in the morning it is lovely. I can see all the city and the sea and the mountains, and at night-time all the city lights like coloured stars, and from my bedroom window I watch the big boats and ships coming and going out. I do hope you get my letter. I remain your friend, Denise Richey.

Five Get Into A Fix follows next, with chapter 12 - and another illustration that doesn't feature in the book -

It's a bit like a 'Spot the difference' puzzle though, as its very similar to the book - here's the magazine illustration -

Image

And here's the book illustration -

Image

OUR PUZZLE PAGE -

SUNBEAMS PRIZE PUZZLE -

What am I?

My first is in give but not in take
My second is in cook but not in bake
My third is in out but not in in
My fourth is in lose but not in win
My fifth is in hers and also in mine,
My whole's often eaten at Christmas time.


FAMOUS FIVE PRIZE PUZZLE

here are some people you'll be seeing in the Christmas pantomimes this year. Their names have got rather mixed, but I am sure you will be able to find out who they all are!

Simple Goose Humpty Pan
Mother Dumpty Peter Simon


A PUZZLE FOR MY BUSY BEES -

Can you complete the name below? It is something nice that you will be eating on Christmas Day -

M - NC - P - ES


The next short story is Come On, Wags! - later published in 'Giants Round the Corner and Other Stories - published by Award in 2000. All about a little dog called Wags who accidentally gets entered in a Dog Show, and what happens to him...

In this issue, there are plenty of adverts for Christmas presents...fancy a Sculptorcraft set to make Noddy models? Or perhaps a reeve's paintbox...or perhaps some of the books that are advertised - Rainy Day Stories, Animal Lovers Book, Six Cousins At Mistletoe Farm, Holiday House, perhaps?

Last but not least - The Noddy Train Game. Sounds exciting!

Image

Please can I have this game, Father Christmas? :-)

So there we are at the end of this last issue of 1957. Enjoy!

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/maga ... ?magid=926

Happy Christmas and a Happy New Years! :-D
Last edited by Rob Houghton on 18 Dec 2017, 11:34, edited 1 time in total.
'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 »

What a wonderful letter from Denise Richey and yet another excellent review from Rob.
I've enjoyed reading these reviews this year and I sincerely hope you will continue with them next year, Rob. Thank you very much.
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