English Heritage

[Boodi 2]

Totally agree Pete. Without the forum I might have developed a complex by now and gained the impression that I am the only one who still appreciates the real Enid Blyton

[Anita Bensoussane]

Same here, Pete and Boodi!

One question. What has happened to our sense of history? The people of the past are not us in fancy dress.

Good point, Judith!

[Lucky Star]

Events like these make me so glad to be a member of the Enid Blyton Society.
It also makes me appreciate all my forum chums who come here solely to discuss the real Enid Blyton.

Hear hear. I just dread to think what warped versions of history will exist in a hundred years time.

[daanton]

Events like these make me so glad to be a member of the Enid Blyton Society.
It also makes me appreciate all my forum chums who come here solely to discuss the real Enid Blyton.

Hear hear!

Racism in Enid Blyton content? I feel you'd only think that if you were one of the Woke.

Besides, it's already bad enough, almost horrid, to find online erotic/“rule34” pic versions of anything from books or TV lately...

But any form of racism in Blyton content? We should only chalk it up to “product of the time” that should really have no bearing on the books overall. We mostly read them for the characters, the camaraderie they have, the adventurers they share. Even if, for instance, one or two of those adventures involved black-faced caricature or former Nazi spies....! So what?

We still enjoy them and talk about them. In spite of what period in our continuing history they originated from.

[Boatbuilder]

I just dread to think what warped versions of history will exist in a hundred years time.

Thankfully, none of us on here will be around to find out - barring, of course, some miracle emerging in the world of science and medicine.

However, this forum could still be around and all our posts would be available for our ancestors to read. Who knows?

[Anita Bensoussane]

I sent English Heritage an email two or three days ago, explaining why I think the criticisms they've added to Enid Blyton's 'Blue Plaque' page are unfair. I'll let you know if I receive a reply.

[Jack400]

Thank you, Anita, I hope that they do you (and, indirectly us) the courtesy of a reply

[Fiona1986]

Am I right in saying that Blyton has several blue plaques, but one one belongs to English Heritage?

Theirs is at 207 Hook Road, Chessington.

There's a London Borough one on Elfin Cottage, and a Society one on 95 Chaffinch Road.

Are there any others?

(Having done the walking tour of Beckenham I hadn't realised she'd moved out to Chessington before buying Elfin Cottage. What's so special about the Hook Road property?)

[Anita Bensoussane]

There's another plaque in Lordship Lane in Dulwich, Fiona, and a Beaconsfield Town Council one in the Town Hall gardens in Beaconsfield. I think you're right that only the Hook Road one is an English Heritage plaque.

The house in Hook Road used to be called Southernhay and Enid Blyton went there in January 1920 as nursery governess to the four young sons of Horace and Gertrude Thompson (David, Brian, Peter and John). Horace Thompson was the second cousin of Mabel Attenborough. Mollie Sayer also became a pupil after a while (she was a neighbour's daughter) and, as Barbara Stoney describes in Enid Blyton - the Biography: "a small 'school' soon developed at Southernhay, with twelve boys and girls being taught at one time or another during the four very happy and eventful years she [Enid] was to spend with the family."

[Fiona1986]

Thanks, Anita. I remember the name Southernhay but not the address. Pity EH don’t explain the relevance of the building to Enid’s life/career.

[Anita Bensoussane]

English Heritage do explain the relevance but you have to scroll down to the headings 'THE FOUNDATION OF ALL MY SUCCESS' and EARLY INSPIRATION:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/vis ... id-blyton/

[Lucky Star]

Well done for emailing them Anita. Hopefully they will take some notice.

[Fiona1986]

I’m just going to pretend I didn’t make those last few posts and go off to remind myself how to read properly again…

[Anita Bensoussane]

No worries. I often skim-read things when I'm short of time.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Three weeks after emailing English Heritage, I haven't had a reply. According to reviewers on Trustpilot, their service leaves a lot to be desired. The current ratings are as follows:

Reviews 100

Excellent 17%
Great 4%
Average 1%
Poor 6%
Bad 72%

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/englis ... age.org.uk