Photo of the real Timmy

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Chrissie777
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Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Chrissie777 »

Dear EBS members,

The ones of you who joined http://www.enidblyton.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; should be able to see the photo on top of my Blyton & Dorset pics from the real Timmy. I just found it in our 2008 Rome photos, made it smaller and downloaded it.

When I noticed this dog in Rome 4 years ago, I immediately took a photo, because for me he looks 100% like the Timmy on Eileen A. Soper's Famous Five illustrations. Even the size is right. The dogs used in both TV series were much smaller and darker, they seemed more like Border Collies to me. beautiful and intelligent dogs, but they don't look like Tim.
I'm convinced that this must be a certain breed, not a mongrel. I've seen these dogs more than once or twice in my life. I wish I knew what breed it is.
What do you think? Is this how Timmy looks in your imagination as well?
http://www.enidblyton.net/yahoo/showinfo.php?user=34" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Eddie Muir »

A perfect likeness for Timmy, Chrissie. :D As far as his breed is concerned, I have always been under the impression that Timmy is a mongrel.
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Chrissie777 »

Hi Eddie,

Thank you for your kind reply. Yes, Enid Blyton mentioned that Timmy is a mongrel, but Eileen A. Soper obviously knew this kind of dog when she created her illustrations, so it could be a certain breed. Maybe Soper's imagination was not necessarily identical with Blyton's imagination reagrding Timmy. However, I could vividly imagine that when Blyton checked out Soper's illustrations for "Five on a Treasure Island" way back in 1942, she instantly fell in love with the dog on the illustrations. Who wouldn't?
Just my humble opinion :).
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Fiona1986 »

Chrissie777 wrote:Enid Blyton mentioned that Timmy is a mongrel, but Eileen A. Soper obviously knew this kind of dog when she created her illustrations, so it could be a certain breed.
You're saying that although Blyton created a mongrel in her text, that Soper used an image of a dog she knew of for her illustrations, yes? Because I suppose that does make sense rather than trying to come up with a one-off dog with too big a head and tail and a ridiculous face that really looked like it was smiling.
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by poddys »

Brilliant photos. I have one of my daughter taken in the same phone box at Corfe when she was 2 years old, and she didn't want to be shut in there, so she was bawling her eyes out :(

I keep meaning to add a lens about Corfe to Squidoo. I took a lot of pictures there last October, as well as some at Viv's shops in Corfe and Poole.
I went on some great adventures reading the Famous Five books.
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Chrissie777 »

Fiona1986 wrote:You're saying that although Blyton created a mongrel in her text, that Soper used an image of a dog she knew of for her illustrations, yes? Because I suppose that does make sense rather than trying to come up with a one-off dog with too big a head and tail and a ridiculous face that really looked like it was smiling.
Hi Fiona,

Yes, I could imagine that Soper either had such a dog or some of her friends had this kind of dog. Or she once saw this dog and fell in love with it and draw (proper grammar?) him out of her memory?
I always thought this breed has a very friendly facial expression. Or is that just me?
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Chrissie777 »

poddys wrote:Brilliant photos. I have one of my daughter taken in the same phone box at Corfe when she was 2 years old, and she didn't want to be shut in there, so she was bawling her eyes out :(
I keep meaning to add a lens about Corfe to Squidoo. I took a lot of pictures there last October, as well as some at Viv's shops in Corfe and Poole.
Hi Poddys,

I sure would LOVE to see your Dorset photos!!!
What is Squidoo? Something like Photo Bucket?
I've seen a few Poole photos either on EBS or maybe it was in the Blyton Yahoo Group and would enjoy to see a lot more!
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Miss Pepper »

Thank you so much for the lovely photo of Timmy.What a beautiful dog.
Chrissie777 wrote: because for me he looks 100% like the Timmy on Eileen A. Soper's Famous Five illustrations.
Image

They sat up and looked to see what Timothy was like. They saw no fisher-boy—but instead a big brown mongrel dog with an absurdly long tail and a big wide mouth that really seemed to grin! He was bounding all round George, mad with delight. She came running down to them.
“This is Timothy,” she said. “Don’t you think he is simply perfect?”
As a dog, Timothy was far from perfect. He was the wrong shape, his head was too big, his ears were too pricked, his tail was too long and it was quite impossible to say what kind of a dog he was supposed to be. But he was such a mad, friendly, clumsy, laughable creature that every one of the children adored him at once.
“Oh, you darling!” said Anne, and got a lick on the nose.
“I say—isn’t he grand!” said Dick, and gave Timothy a friendly smack that made the dog bound madly all round him.


Comparing Timmy in later editions makes me wonder if the illustrator didn't read the books or perhaps owned a Labrador!
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Jill »

Chrissy, my first thought on seeing `your Timmy` is, thats a Berger Picard, a rare herding breed from France, without seeing it in the flesh I obviously don`t really know, but if this was a guess the breed quiz ,as in the dog is a breed and not a mix then my money would be on the Berger Picard. Interestingly this breed of dog does fit Timmy perfectly, they are known for their loyalty and protection characteristics.

I`m not sure Eileen would have come across this breed though given its rarity, there again maybe she was a dog fanatic like me :) and had a houseful of dog books. Timmy in my 1972 edition ( but still with Eileen illustrations) has semi pricked ears more like a rough collie. Up until fairly recently 20yrs or so dogs in the UK were often seen to roam freely doing their own thing while their owners were out, neutering/spaying was not so common as it is now so dogs bred, mongrols/cross breeds were common, of course today crossbreeds are delibrately bred for large amounts of money!. I think its quite likely Eileen came across a crossbreed that took her fancy as Timmy and together with EB description based her lovely drawings on that.

Love your photos, espcecially your book collection, very envious :mrgreen:
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Chrissie777 »

Thank you, Miss Pepper, for your lovely comment and the illustrations :)!
I felt the same when I watched both Famous Five TV series. Didn't the producers/director read the books FIRST and then should have tried to find a dog who really resembles Timmy?
I guess this breed is either very rare or untrainable.
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Chrissie777 »

Jill wrote:Chrissy, my first thought on seeing `your Timmy` is, thats a Berger Picard, a rare herding breed from France, without seeing it in the flesh I obviously don`t really know, but if this was a guess the breed quiz ,as in the dog is a breed and not a mix then my money would be on the Berger Picard.
Love your photos, espcecially your book collection, very envious :mrgreen:
Hi Jill,

You ARE right!
Check this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berger_Picard" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That's Timmy!!!

I started collecting the German Blyton books (at first only FF, then Adventure series) in 1965 and by 1985 I had all FF books plus the two infamous sequels by Brigitte Blobel written around 1977/1979.
The FFO & Dog series I didn't discover before the mid eighties and then borrowed them from the library before I purchased them. Same with Barney series and Secret Seven.

A few years before I had access to the Internet (this was 1995) I met a lovely bookstore owner in Fowey, Cornwall (the bookstore had an interesting name, "Bookends of Fowey"), who offered to get me the old British editions from the FF via book search. On an average she charged me 5 British Pounds per book and I consider that a bargain.

I'm very proud of my collection and read it often.
Discovering EBS and getting to know it's very friendly members is the cream on the coffee for me :)!
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Fiona1986 »

Chrissie777 wrote: She... draw (proper grammar?) him out of her memory?
It should be "She drew him out of her memory" as it is past tense.

The size, shape etc of the dog in your picture and of the ones on wikipedia certainly fit my mental image of Timmy, though I must admit I always picture him as mid to dark brown. I don't know why, as it's never mentioned and Soper's illustrations are shaded to probably suggest a lighter coloured dog.
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"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.


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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Fiona1986 »

From the wikipedia page:

"The Berger Picard is a medium-sized, well-muscled dog, slightly longer than tall. Their ears are naturally erect, high-set... They are known for their smile."

Sounds just like Timmy!

"The Berger Picard's attributes include a lively, intelligent personality... By and large, Picards are laid back and mellow but they are known for... being reserved towards strangers.

Picards are energetic and hard working, alert, loyal and sweet-tempered with children. They are happiest when they have a job to do. They also have a protective nature, making them good guard dogs. However, they are not excessive barkers."

Again, that's very like Timmy.

Though he certainly wasn't a picky eater!

"Some Picards are notoriously picky eaters, and it may be difficult to decide on a diet that you and the dog agree on."

It's also interesting that hip dysplasia is known in the breed. Shades of On a Hike?
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"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.


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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by Chrissie777 »

Fiona1986 wrote:
Chrissie777 wrote: She... draw (proper grammar?) him out of her memory?
It should be "She drew him out of her memory" as it is past tense.
Fiona, thank you.
Yes, you are right, it's "drew", of course! Sometimes I still mix up tenses in English. I could tell it was not right, but yet couldn't figure out what was wrong.
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Re: Photo of the real Timmy

Post by poddys »

Chrissie777 wrote:
poddys wrote:I keep meaning to add a lens about Corfe to Squidoo. I took a lot of pictures there last October, as well as some at Viv's shops in Corfe and Poole.
I sure would LOVE to see your Dorset photos!!! What is Squidoo? Something like Photo Bucket?
Squidoo is a site where you can create your own web pages. I have a whole series on Dorset in the pipeline, with several on Bournemouth & Sandbanks already complete. The Enid Blyton page in my signature was also created on there.

I just need time to create more. It's really easy and fun to do.
I went on some great adventures reading the Famous Five books.
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