Sight of Site

[tix]

Time flies.

Seeing the name 'Heather' on this group brought to mind a few other EB-connected sites that materialised some years ago - mostly after the new century dawned. 'Enid Blyton Net is' still round of course, but whether or not 'Heather's Blyton Pages' has been transported into oblivion can be speculated upon.

The latter site contains information that would hold any Enid Blyton follower's interest and included are plenty of photographs. The personal book shelves embrace an excellent selection of older books collectors might crave and they include the 'Adventure' series of course, 'Secret Seven' - being complete copies (with wrappers), 'Kirrins,' and the 'Mystery' books with their iconic spines. Below these can be found Barney and his pals, plus the 'St. Clare's' bundle, 'Malory Towers' (naturally), and then some of those one and two and three-off books such as the Faraway Tree, Willow Farm, 'Book of Brownies and,' Pip.' This 'Pip' is not of the Find-Outer collection but rather an elf or whatever who has two books under his name (according to the flyleaf, he's actually a 'pixie'). 'Wishing Chair.' What collection could be without Peter, Mollie, and Chinky, I ask you? 'Put 'em Rights,' 'House at the Corner,' 'Saucy Jane,' etc - they're all present, together with a pile of the more modern reprints including 'Shadow' (Shadow the Sheepdog was the first Blyton book I ever owned), 'Treasure Hunters,' 'Happy House,' and so on. With 'Cliff Castle' and 'Three Boys and a Circus' there rests a red-spined book which can't be made out. It looks interesting though, but then what EB book isn't? Galliano's x 3 are also present, one or two paperbacks, and what appear to be several issues of the 'Enid Blyton Literary Society Magazine.' There’s also a Bible.

Yes, a Bible for we enthusiasts - 'The Blyton Phenomenon.'

One page on the site entitled 'A Spot of Fun' consists of contributions from fans - the first of which is called 'Jack-in-a Box' by none other than Keith Robinson whom we all know. A Yahoo Blyton Group member wrote 'Shock for the Thrilling Three,' and we also have 'Mystery of the Trendy Togs' and a 'Pome' about the Find-Outers. There's also a 'Noddy' joke which I think many would have heard before:

Why have elephants got big ears?

Because Noddy wouldn't pay the ransom!

Another member of the Yahoo group shows us how EB may have written should she have had access to Internet Instant Messaging:

"it wuz at 9.30 on a dark Apr nite dat all da xitement began. da viage (that's how it's spelt) of ptrswud was prfctly qui8 & p.ful, cept for a dog brking sumwere, den suddly, 2 the w of the viage, a gr8 lite fired up."

Can't go on with this because it's hard to believe people actually write in such a way. How would they tackle the word 'antidisestablishmentarianism' I wonder!

Another member Anita Bensoussane (whom we also know) responds to the question of why no Blyton boys want to be girls when several girls want to be boys. It involves a very entertaining piece starring the Kirrins.

There are also several pages featuring information about various Blyton illustrators with pictures of unrelated books containing samples of their work.

Lastly there's a forum such as this one, where readers express their various thoughts. Not only are they interesting, but one can learn so much from the comments - be it trends, memories, or opinions of the books. Examples (with a few spelling corrections):

August 13, 2005 Nigel Rowe says...
A really fantastic site. Congratulations, Heather - your site is an essential entry to everyone's bookmarks/favourites. We have a great trio of EB sites with yours, Keith's and the EBS. Hurrah! (Third entry ...... and no corrections needed)

September 3, 2006 jean smith says...
Very interesting, Web Site. Point of interest, I used to work at Darrell Waters Limited which dealt with all the rights to Enid's books, etc and the boss was a director on the board. I saw Enid once when I went to the Stoll Theatre in London to see 'Noddy' the lad who played him Bunny May used to go to my Sunday School and Junior School ! I also pass the place where Enid was born in Lordship Lane, on my way to work each day ! As a child I was a great fan and I still read some of my books which I still have to my grandchildren ! I still have the first Enid Blyton Magazine Annual from the early 1950's.
Heather (site owner) says: Very interesting, Jean, and how wonderful to have seen the original Noddy play!

September 16, 2006 Ming says...
That Spot of Fun page was a success! My friends loved it and I showed them to two of my teachers who were getting annoyed with us (goodness knows why). They laughed out loud in the middle of the class and forgot all their anger! It was a lifesaver for soon the whole class would have been sent to the vice principal for bad behaviour. It was a narrow escape for us *sigh with relief* Lovely site Heather!
Heather (site owner) says: That sounds exactly like a scene from Malory Towers! I'm so glad it was helpful - and in such an unexpected manner!

November 16, 2006 Hari Menon says...
After reading a recent comment I did a quick double-take and checked whether your site's called Heather Blyton's Pages rather than Heather's Blyton Pages!
Heather (site owner) says: I think that's confused a few people. Oh well, I don't mind being "related". Perhaps I could start calling her "Aunt Enid"!

January 8, 2007 Lee says...
Hi Heather. Long time, no speak. I came across your website addy (today??) on the Society webpage and thought.....I wonder if that's the same Heather. Not only was I totally delighted that it was, but equally delighted with your site. Quite a few of those photos I haven’t seen. I loved the photos of your collection and wouldn't mind some of those myself. As you probably know I've been AWOL for about 2 years now. Its lovely to see you again and my heartiest congrats on an interesting and something different website. Software company hey..... ciao for now. Oldbookfan. (Not sure what 'ciao' means)
Heather (site owner) says: Hi again! Yes, it's been ages! I'll email you separately.

April 2, 2007 Des says...
Delightful site, Heather! You and Keith deserve medals for services to EB fandom - it's obviously a labour of love. I especially enjoyed your illustrators section (Tresilian is my favourite children's artist ever) and I loved the pics of your collection. Your shelves look amazingly like mine. When I started collecting children's adventure series again as an adult (EB, Hardys, Nancy Drew, Malcolm Saville) I visited my folks' home hoping to find some. But my elder siblings had beaten me to it, so I had to start from scratch. I mainly collect 50s and 60s Adventure, SS and FF in hardback with dust jackets like my siblings owned, but can't resist the Armada pbacks too which were all I could afford as a kid. I have quite a collection now and am always on the lookout for better copies.
Heather (site owner) says: Thank you so much for your high praise! It sounds like your collection is lovely - keep it up!

This guestbook is now closed. The owner of this site, Heather, has gone to Baronia to rescue princes from locked tower rooms and may not be back any time soon. She has left the site in the hands of a trusted friend who has his hands full with other work. Please feel free to browse old comments for now."

(I guess that answers the question).

[Daisy]

That's all very interesting Terry. I wasn't aware of this site at the very beginning (joining in late 2006) and missed the chance to see some of the things which were around then. I went to Heather's link just now and it took me to EB.net. Better than complete oblivion I guess but of course the EB.net is accessible under its own name too. Heather's site sounds as if it was very popular at the time.

[pete9012S]

Thanks from me also Terry for a most memory inducing post!

I liked Heather's site, and fearing Keith may one day decide not to keep it online, downloaded a complete offline interactive copy of it.

I don't somehow think I can share a link to my copy, but I often refer to it as it full of useful facts and information that supplements this site and of course Keith's.